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Esophageal Cancer: Radiation Therapy Planning

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Radiation Therapy for Gastrointestinal Cancers

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Abstract

The treatment of esophageal cancer with radiation therapy presents many challenges. The propensity of esophageal cancer to invade and spread within the submucosa with resultant lymph node involvement requires particular attention to areas of elective coverage beyond the gross tumor. Moreover, the intimate association of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction with adjacent organs in the thoracic cavity and upper abdomen dictates attention to normal tissue constraints. Although most patients receive preoperative chemoradiation, patients treated postoperatively may require larger treatment fields, further increasing treatment-related normal tissue toxicities. This chapter will discuss the rationale of radiation treatment field design and dose for esophageal cancer patients based on thoracic anatomy, imaging, and patterns of spread/failure, as well as practical considerations for patient simulation and treatment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, DUMC Box 3085, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Matthew J. Boyer MD, PhD, Christopher G. Willett MD, Manisha Palta MD & Brian G. Czito MD

Authors
  1. Matthew J. Boyer MD, PhD
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  2. Christopher G. Willett MD
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  3. Manisha Palta MD
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  4. Brian G. Czito MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian G. Czito MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Theodore Hong

  2. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    Prajnan Das

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Boyer, M.J., Willett, C.G., Palta, M., Czito, B.G. (2017). Esophageal Cancer: Radiation Therapy Planning. In: Hong, T., Das, P. (eds) Radiation Therapy for Gastrointestinal Cancers. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43115-4_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43115-4_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43113-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43115-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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