Brachytherapy for Palliaton of Malignant Disease

Brachytherapy (intraluminal radiotherapy) has been in use for more than two decades as a boost after external beam radiation for the definite treatment of esophageal carcinoma. Recent studies have shown that brachytherapy as a sole treatment is an effective therapy for the palliation of dysphagia caused by inoperable esophageal carcinoma. In comparison to stent placement, which is currently the most widely used palliative treatment for esophageal cancer, single-dose brachytherapy has been shown to be a more effective but also safer treatment option for palliation of dysphagia. A broader use of brachytherapy for the palliative treatment of dysphagia from esophageal cancer, particularly in younger and female patients that have a shorter tumor length, no metastases, and a good performance score, is therefore warranted. New developments include the use of fractionated doses of brachytherapy and the use of stents that have a radioactive source included.

Keywords: esophageal cancer, radiation, brachytherapy, palliation, dysphagia, endoscopy