[The inoperable carcinoma of the esophagus: results from radiation therapy and conclusions for irradiation planning (author's transl)].

Conclusions are drawn for irradiation planning from treatment results of 161 patients with inoperable esophageal carcinomas, comparable with reference to the technique applied using moving-field irradiation and delivering a total focal dose of 6000 rd. The palliative effect of radiation therapy is obtained by measurable dilatation of the stenosis in more than 90% of the patients. 5-year survival, however, was found only in cases of an average target volume comprising 500 cm3 within the 80% isodose, largely independent of the stage of the primary tumor. The best correlation between tumor extension and target volume is found in T3 tumors. A target volume larger than 700 cm3 does not seem to be required. The rate and localization of the recurrences are showing that a minimum safety distance beyond the radiologically ascertained tumor expansion is indispensable.