[Radiotherapy of cancer of the gastric cardia--report on 40 patients].

Fourty patients with cancer of the gastric cardia as proven by pathology or cytology were treated by radiation therapy from January 1985 to October 1986. All patients except four who refused operation had lesions too advanced for surgical intervention. Telecobalt was used to deliver 60-70 Gy/6-7 wk through 3 or 4 portals. In some patients, 45-60 Gy was also given to the supraclavicular area. 90% of patients had symptomatic improvement and 80% showed objective improvement on X ray barium meal. The 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were 83%, 43% and 23%. Ten percent of patients survived the third year without evidence of disease. The influence of sex, age, siege of lesion and X ray findings at the conclusion of treatment were analyzed. Female patients and those whose lesions completely resolved at the completion of radiotherapy had more favorable outcome than the others (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.05). It is suggested that radiation therapy may be an effective means in the combination treatment or palliative treatment of cancer of the gastric cardia.