Does Esophageal Cancer Respond Well to Radiation?

Esophageal cancer is cancer of the esophagus, which is the small tube that runs from the back of the throat down into the stomach. Typically radiation therapy is used to treat all types of cancer including esophageal cancer. However, not all types of cancer are as receptive as others to radiation treatment. Generally esophageal cancer does respond well to radiation therapy; but, the success depends on how advanced the cancer is, the individual patient and the type of radiation therapy that is being used.

According to the site Cancer Connect.com, there are two types of radiation therapy that can be used to treat and combat the affects of esophageal cancer. One type of therapy is delivered externally, while the other is delivered internally:

• The first type of available radiation is known as external beam radiation therapy, or EBRT. This type of radiation is delivered to the body by a machine externally that is called a linear accelerator. The radiation therapy is delivered to the body for a duration of two to six weeks for five days out of the week.
• The other type of therapy is delivered by internal means through a process called brachytherapy. This process involves delivering radioactive isotopes directly to the site inside of the esophagus.

Effectiveness of Radiation Treatment

According to CancerConnect.com, either of these types of radiation therapy can be used effectively in treating esophageal cancer, but that in many cases, neither of these types of radiation therapy will work to cure cancer alone.

CancerConnect.com indicates that normally doctors will recommend that other treatments be explored and used in addition to or in conjunction with the radiation treatments being administered. For example, treatment of esophageal cancer should include a combination of or radiation and chemotherapy.

Generally, it is this combination of treatments, as well as other additional types of medical care like surgery, that will be most successful in treating esophageal cancer.

Radiation Alone

While a combination of treatments is usually best, according to CancerConnect.com, this is not possible in all instances. In these cases:

Radiation therapy alone can be used to treat those patients who may not be able to tolerate treatment from chemotherapy or surgery or both.

• When only radiation is used to treat esophageal cancer, CancerCare reports that the one year survival rate is 18 percent of patients.
• There is a two year survival rate of 8 percent among patients treated with radiation therapy alone.
• There is a five year survival rate of five percent for patients treated just with radiation therapy.

These numbers have come from patients who received just radiation therapy and who have cancer in stages one through three.

Radiation therapy can also be used alone in situations where the cancer has progressed and where recovery from the type and stage of cancer is nearly impossible. While the radiation will not directly treat the cancer itself, it will help to ease the symptoms from the condition.

Getting Treatment

Every individual patient's body will respond differently to cancer and cancer treatments. As such, when evaluating the actual likely effectiveness of any type of cancer-care, it is imperative that you consult with a physician. Your doctor can explain to you the pros and cons of all forms of treatment and help to formulate a cancer-care plan that is most likely to have the best results.