CT-guided 125I brachytherapy for mediastinal metastatic lymph nodes recurrence from esophageal carcinoma: effectiveness and safety in 16 patients.

OBJECTIVES

To retrospectively evaluate effectiveness and safety of CT-guided (125)I brachytherapy in 16 patients with mediastinal metastatic lymph nodes recurrence from esophageal carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Sixteen metastatic lymph nodes in 16 patients were percutaneously treated in 19 (125)I brachytherapy sessions. Each metastatic lymph node was treated with computed tomographic (CT) guidance. Follow-up contrast material-enhanced CT or positron emission tomographic (PET) scans were reviewed and the treatment's effectiveness was evaluated.

RESULTS

Months are counted from the first time of (125)I brachytherapy and the median duration of follow-up was 11 months (range, 5-16 months). The local control rates after 3, 6, 10 and 15 months were 75.0, 50.0, 42.9 and 33.3% respectively. At the time of writing, four patients are alive without evidence of recurrence at 16, 9, 16 and 9 months. The 4 patients presented good control of local tumor and no systemic recurrence, and survived throughout the follow-up period. The other 12 patients died of multiple hematogenous metastases 5-15 months after brachytherapy. A small amount of local hematoma occurred in 2 patients that involved applicator insertion through the lung. Two patients presented pneumothorax with pulmonary compression of 30 and 40% after the procedure and recovered after drainage. One patient had minor displacement of radioactive seeds. Severe complications such as massive bleeding and radiation pneumonitis did not occur.

CONCLUSION

(125)I radioactive seed implantation is effective and may be safely applied to mediastinal metastatic lymph nodes recurrence from esophageal carcinoma.