Influence of number of metastatic lymph nodes on survival of curative resected thoracic esophageal cancer patients and value of radiotherapy: report of 549 cases.

Purpose: To analyze the significance of the number of metastatic lymph nodes on survival with and without the addition of prophylactic postoperative radiotherapy (RT) after radical resection of thoracic esophageal carcinoma.

Methods And Materials: A total of 549 thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer patients who had undergone radical resection were randomized by the envelope method into a surgery-alone group (S, n = 275) and a surgery plus RT group (S+R, n = 274). We performed a retrospective review of all patients according to the extent of metastasis.

[Relation between pathologic tumor response to preoperative radiotherapy and the prognosis in patients with esophageal carcinoma].

Objective: To analyze the relation between pathologic tumor response in preoperative radiotherapy and long-term survival in patients with esophageal carcinoma and the significance of radiosensitivity in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma.

Methods: 176 esophageal cancer patients received preoperative radiotherapy and tumor resection from 1977 to 1989. The radio-response was classified into severe, moderate and mild according to the tumor pathologic response to radiotherapy.

Value of radiotherapy after radical surgery for esophageal carcinoma: a report of 495 patients.

Background: Despite three decades of debate, no conclusion has been reached concerning the effectiveness of postoperative radiotherapy for resected esophageal carcinoma. From 1986 through 1997, a prospective randomized study was carried out with 495 patients in an attempt to define the value of this therapeutic modality.

Methods: A total of 495 patients with esophageal cancer who had undergone radical resection were randomized by the envelope method into a surgery-alone group (S) of 275 patients and a surgery plus radiotherapy group (S + R) of 220 patients.