[en] Definitive radiation therapy (RT) in 52 patients with the inoperable esophageal cancer was retrospectively evaluated with regard to irradiation field and combined chemotherapy. Treatments were divided into RT alone (n=19), RT with low-dose cisplatin (CDDP) (n=25), and RT with intermediate-dose CDDP group (n=8). Although initial recurrences were commonly observed in the primary sites, there were out-field lymph node failures in three patients with stage II disease, three with stage III, and one with stage IVa. Two-years cause specific survival rates of stage 0/I, II, III, and IVa were 100%, 64%, 14%, and 18% respectively. In 42 patients with II-IVa stages, the significant prognostic factors were performance status and clinical stage. Combined chemotherapy did not contribute significant improvement of survival rates for the inoperable esophageal cancer. Prophylactic irradiation for the lymph node metastases should be considered for patients with stage II and III diseases. (author)