自1978年～1984年我科共收治住院食管癌患者868例,其中60岁以上高龄患者290人,45岁以下低龄患者79人,均采用~(60)C_o和10MV—X线放射治疗。高龄患者5年生存率明显优于低龄患者,分别为13.1％、5.1％。比较其原因高龄患者病程较短,Ⅰ、Ⅱ期者较多,其机体较衰老,不利于肿瘤过度生长和扩散,复发较慢,转移较少。但高龄患者放疗并发症较多,机体免疫力低,死于并发症和非肿瘤病者远多于低龄患 From 1978 to 1984, our department treated a total of 868 patients with esophageal cancer in our hospital. Among them, 290 elderly patients over the age of 60 and 79 young patients under the age of 45 were treated with ~(60)C_o and 10MV_X radiotherapy. The 5-year survival rate of elderly patients was significantly better than that of young patients, which was 13.1% and 5.1%, respectively. Comparison of the causes of the elderly patients with a shorter course of disease, I, II phase more, its aging body, is not conducive to tumor overgrowth and proliferation, relapse is slower, less transfer. However, older patients have more complications of radiotherapy, low body immunity, and more complications and non-neoplastic diseases than younger patients.