Preoperative hyperthermo-chemo-radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma: analysis of 20 cases

Hyperthermo-chemo-radiotherapy was performed twice a week (5 to 10 times) before radical surgery in 20 patients with esophageal carcinoma. A hundred to 150 rad of 60-Co was irradiated immediately before hyperthermotherapy. While hyperthermotherapy (41-430C) was done for 30 minutes, 5 mg of bleomycin was intravenously injected to the patients. The resected esophagus was pathologically evaluated. There were 5 cases in which viable cancer cells disappeared (markedly effective), 11 cases in which some of the viable cancer cells remained, but they were extremely degenerated (moderately effective), and 4 cases with less responses (ineffective). The 5 patients evaluated as markedly effective were still alive, including a patient who survived 34 months after surgery. The 4 patients evaluated as ineffective died as a result of the recurrence of cancer. (Namekawa, K.)