BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEMany patterns of treatment have been used to treat esophageal carcinoma in the past years, however, an optimal treatment is still the key issue to be explored. Therefore, we analyzed the published literature about radiotherapy for esophageal cancer in recent 15 years in China, and observed the survival rate, local control rate, adverse events, and so on.

METHODSA total of 56 eligible papers about radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma published in Chinese core periodicals between 1994 and 2009 were selected. The survival rates, local control rates, and adverse events were analyzed.

RESULTSThe 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of the patients reported in the 56 papers were (67.99 ± 12.55)%, (49.59 ± 11.79)%, (34.50 ± 11.49)%, and (23.31 ± 10.21)%, respectively. The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year local control rates were (73.04 ± 13.37)%, (61.60 ± 15.50)%, (51.77 ± 15.00)%, and (50.15 ± 21.36)%, respectively. The acute esophageal toxicity rate was (44.84 ± 25.71)% in 32 papers reported in recent 15 years, and the acute esophageal toxicity over grade II accounted for (35.93 ± 22.90)%. The rates of acute esophageal toxicity were (26.84 ± 13.12)% for conventional radiation, (53.72 ± 21.82)% for late course accelerated hyperfractionation radiation, (61.33 ± 28.69)% for concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and (40.31 ± 27.22)% for other ways of radiation. The late toxicity rate described in 23 papers was (5.13 ± 4.07)% in recent 15 years. The late toxicity rates were (5.66 ± 3.42)% for conventional radiation, (4.53± 4.07)% for late course accelerated hyperfractionation radiation, (2.24±1.31)% for concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and (7.34 ± 5.06)% for other ways of radiation. The Meta analysis indicated that concurrent chemoradiotherapy was better than late course accelerated hyperfractionation radiation and conventional radiation.

CONCLUSIONSThe long-term survival of patients with esophageal cancer is still disappointed in recent years. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy shows advantages in treating esophageal cancer and, currently, is the best non-surgical treatment of esophageal cancer.