Adding external beam to intra-luminal brachytherapy improves palliation in obstructive squamous cell oesophageal cancer: A prospective multi-centre randomized trial of the International Atomic Energy Agency

BACKGROUND: Whether the combination of high dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRBT) and External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) is superior to HDRBT alone for the palliation of oesophageal cancer has only been explored in a previous IAEA pilot randomized trial. METHODS: Two hundred and nineteen patients were randomized to adding EBRT or not, after receiving two fractions of HDRBT within 1 week. Each HDRBT consisted of 8 Gy prescribed at 1cm from source …