Radiation therapy options

Radiation therapy is a preferred option for people with stage III esophageal cancer. It is often performed in conjunction with chemotherapy. If radiation therapy is successful in down-staging esophageal cancer, surgery may be performed.

Before, during and after your esophageal cancer treatment, we take a proactive approach to preventing and managing radiation side effects, such as difficulty swallowing. 

Some of the radiation therapies available to esophageal cancer patients at City of Hope include:

External beam radiation therapy (EBRT)

EBRT directs a beam of radiation form outside of the body at cancerous tissues inside the body. It is a cancer treatment option that uses doses of radiation to destroy cancerous cells and shrink tumors. Two of the EBRT delivery systems available to cancer patients at City of Hope are: intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and TomoTherapy®. 

Intensity modulated radiation (IMRT): IMRT is a type of EBRT radiation system used to treat difficult-to-reach tumors. Using advanced software to plan a precise dose of radiation based on tumor size, shape and location, a computer-controlled device delivers radiation in sculpted doses that match the three-dimensional shape of the tumor. IMRT may be an appropriate treatment if you have had conventional radiation therapy previously and are experiencing recurrent tumors in the treated area.

TomoTherapy: TomoTherapy combines an advanced form of IMRT with an onboard CT scanner that allows for precise targeting of radiation. While traditional radiation therapies project radiation onto a tumor from only a few directions, TomoTherapy delivers targeted doses to tumors from 360 degrees. TomoTherapy may be appropriate for you if you have advanced stage or recurrent cancer and are no longer able to receive traditional radiation.

Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is a form of internal radiation therapy in which tiny, hollow catheters are temporarily inserted directly into a tumor. A series of radioactive pellets are then inserted into each catheter. By tightly containing radiation within the tumor, brachytherapy helps reduce radiation exposure to healthy surrounding tissues. 

City of Hope delivers brachytherapy two ways:

• High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is delivered at a high strength for a short period of time. 
• Low-dose rate (LDR) brachtherapy is delivered at a continuous rate over one to seven days.