Abstract: To evaluate the response, survival and toxicity of capecitabine combined with late course accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy(LCAHR) for esophageal cancer. MethodsEightytwo patients were randomly divided into two groups： 41 patients in the treatment group received capecitabine combined with LCAHR, and the other 41 patients in the control group received LCAHR only. All patients were treated by conventional fractionated radiotherapy during the first twothirds of the whole course with 40?Gy in 20 fractions, followed by LCAHR with 2530?Gy in 1719 fractions, 1.5?Gy per fraction, twice a day, with an interval of more than 6 hours between fractions to a total dose of 6570?Gy. The treatment group took 1?000?mg/m2 capecitabine twice a day for fourteen days followed by a 7day rest period from the first day of radiotherapy, every 3 weeks as one cycle, totally 2 cycles. ResultsAll patients completed treatment courses. The shortterm response rate of the treatment group and the control group was 89.7% and 76.9% respectively with statistically significant differences. The 1year survival rate was 80.5% and 73.2% in the treatment and control groups respectively(P＞0.05). As for acute radiation esophagitis and myelosuppression, there were no significant differences between the two groups. ConclusionCapecitabine combined with late course accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy for esophageal cancer can improve the shortterm response rate. Its side effects are not statistically different from those of the LCAHR alone and are tolerable, however its longterm results need further study in clinic.

Key words: Esophageal neoplasms, Radiotherapy, Drug therapy, Dose fractionation