Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) Versus Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) Trial

Prior treatment

• Patients with active second malignancy are allowed as long as it is determined by the treating physician that the treatment of esophageal cancer is of higher priority through proper evaluation. However patients with active stage 4, metastatic cancers, receiving other systemic therapies at the time of the esophageal cancer diagnosis, will not be eligible.
• Radiation treatment alone without concurrent chemotherapy or chemotherapy use alone.

Other illness

• Clinically significant uncontrolled major cardiac, respiratory, renal, hepatic, gastrointestinal or hematologic disease but not limited to: a) active uncontrolled infection; b) Symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina, or cardiac dysrrhythmia not controlled by pacer device; c) no myocardial infarction within 3 months of registration

Other

• Pregnant or breast-feeding females

• Age \>/= 18
• Histologically documented adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the cervical or thoracic esophagus or gastroesophageal junction or cardia of stomach.
• Potentially resectable or unresectable esophageal cancer patients
• Induction chemotherapy prior to concurrent chemoradiation allowed
• Prior Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) with a diagnosis of stage II-III esophageal cancer is eligible
• Performance status of Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) \>/= 60 or Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) = 0, 1, or 2.
• Prior thoracic radiation allowable only if there is minimal to no overlap with the treatment area estimated at the time of consultation.
• Negative pregnancy test (serum or urine) for women of child bearing potential. All protocol participants must agree to adequate contraception.
• Complete blood count (CBC) and complete metabolic panel (chemo-14: Glucose, Calcium, Albumin, Total Protein, Sodium, Potassium, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Chloride, Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Creatinine, Alkaline Phosphatase, Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (SGPT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Serum Glutamic-oxaloacetic Transaminase (SGOT), and Bilirubin) to assess adequate hematologic, renal and hepatic functioning will be obtained. The values are as follows: Adequate hematologic (White Blood Count (WBC) \>2,500/uL, platelets \> 75,000/uL), renal (Serum creatinine \</= 1.5X Upper Limit of Normal (ULN) or creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min), and liver function (bilirubin \</=1.5 fold the upper limit of normal and liver enzymes \< 3 fold the upper limit of normal)
• Able to communicate in the English language.
• Any patient deemed eligible for chemoradiation for esophageal cancer treatment.