| Radiation therapy is one of the five standard | | | | for nearly two to three weeks based on the |
| therapies for esophageal cancer. This is a type of | | | | treatment objective. Each and every radiation |
| treatment which makes use of x-rays of high energy | | | | therapy schedule for esophageal cancer can last from |
| or other kinds of radiation for killing malignant cells or | | | | ten to fifteen minutes. |
| inhibiting their growth. Radiation therapy for | | | | Radiation therapy along with chemotherapy is |
| esophageal cancer can be classified as internal | | | | considered as a better option and is found to |
| radiation and external radiation therapy. In external | | | | produce great results when compared to the |
| radiation therapy machine is used on the external side | | | | effectiveness of each treatment given separately. |
| of the body for sending high energy x-rays targeting | | | | But then, patients who might not or cannot |
| the cancer cells while internal radiation therapy makes | | | | withstand chemotherapy or surgery can be provided |
| use of a substance that is radioactive sealed inside | | | | with this treatment alone. Patients treated with this |
| seeds, wires, catheters or needles and are kept near | | | | treatment alone can have a survival rate of nearly |
| or in the cancer directly. The method adopted for | | | | eighteen percent at a year, eight percent survival at |
| providing radiation therapy can be based on the | | | | a couple of years and lower than five percentages at |
| stage and kind of cancer that is treated. Other | | | | five years. |
| therapies apart from radiation therapies include | | | | Most often the therapy without any other |
| chemotherapy, laser therapy, dilation or intraluminal | | | | treatments is given to patients for lowering the |
| intubation, clinical trials and electro-coagulation. | | | | symptoms. It is effective even in patients who might |
| Even though the therapy is part and parcel of the | | | | be in their advanced stages of disease or who are |
| esophageal cancer treatment it cannot be given | | | | unfit medically to go through chemotherapy or |
| alone. Patients suffering from this type of cancer | | | | surgery or patients with recurrent esophageal cancer |
| should be treated in a very conducive environment | | | | after getting operated. |
| which can provide them multiple treatment options | | | | Radiation therapy in some can create side effects |
| involving surgeons, nutritionists, oncologists, | | | | temporarily like esophageal perforation along with |
| gastroenterologists and radiation oncologists. The | | | | fistula development, inflammation found in the lining |
| main goal of the therapy is to destroy the malignant | | | | of esophagus, throat and mouth, bleeding, infection, |
| cells which otherwise can stay even after the | | | | mouth getting dry and fatigue. Even patients who are |
| therapy and can result in relapse of cancer inside the | | | | responsive to radiation therapy can have their |
| body. The therapy schedule for esophageal cancer | | | | esophagus narrowed and get strictures that might |
| can normally be for nearly five days in a week and | | | | need treatment later. |