Preoperative radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma had no improvement on survival or locoregional control. The role of postoperative radiotherapy is limited to patients with residual tumor. According to the nationwide statistics of the results of radiotherapy alone, 5-year survival rate of superficial or Ep-Sm type was 26% and 32.5%, respectively. Intracavitary irradiation will improve not only survival but provide palliation of dysphagea. Now, it must be discussed the usefulness of radiotherapy from the viewpoint of cost-benefit ratio.