How many consecutive days is radiation therapy for esophageal cancer usually administered?
Disease description:
Recently, I have been experiencing difficulty swallowing. I went to the hospital for an examination, and the doctor diagnosed it as esophageal cancer. They mentioned that treatment, including radiotherapy, is needed. I would like to ask, how many consecutive days is radiotherapy generally required for esophageal cancer?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Qi Zhirong
The duration of radiotherapy for esophageal cancer depends on the treatment goals and the individual patient's circumstances. Generally, for patients with esophageal cancer who have not undergone radical surgery, a typical radiotherapy course lasts approximately five weeks, with five treatment sessions per week, totaling around 25 consecutive days of radiation therapy. For radical radiotherapy, the treatment duration may be slightly longer, usually around six weeks, or approximately 30 consecutive days of radiation therapy. During the course of radiotherapy, doctors will adjust the treatment dosage and plan according to the patient's specific condition and tolerance. Additionally, radiotherapy may cause some adverse reactions, such as radiation-induced esophagitis and radiation pneumonitis, which require close monitoring and timely management. Therefore, the duration of radiotherapy for esophageal cancer is not fixed but rather determined based on the individual patient's condition and treatment objectives.
