Abstract: Objective :The effects of 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), late courseaccelerated hyperfraction radiotherapy (LCAF) and conventional radiotherapy (CF) on esophageal carci-noma were retrospectively reviewed. Methods :Data from 170 patients with esophageal carcinoma treat-ed between October 2000 and March 2003 were collected and the patients were divided into threegroups according to the radiotherapy received. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, Log-rank test and χ2 test were used to evaluate the effects and side effects of the different radiotherapies. The factors relatedto the prognosis were analyzed by COX multivariate analysis. Results :The 1-, 2-, and 3-year localcontrol rates and survival rates in the 3D-CRT group were 88.1%, 79.0%, 74.4% and 76.9%, 53.9%,44.9% compared to 79.8%, 57.5%, 37.4% and 72.0%, 36.0%, 24.6% in the CF group (P<0.05). Therewas no significant difference in the 1-, 2-, and 3-year local control rates and survival rates betweenthe LCAF group and the CF group (P>0.05). In the 3D-CRT group, the incidence of radiation-inducedesophagitis was similar to that seen in the CF group (24.6% vs. 24.0%), but the rate of radiation-in-duced pneumonitis was lower than that observed in the CF group (12.3% vs. 20.0%, P=0.260). Therewas no significant difference in the incidence rate of radiation-induced esophagitis and pneumonitis be-tween the LCAF group and the CF group (P>0.05). Conclusion :3D-CRT and LCAF have superior ef-fects on patients with esophageal carcinoma than those of CF. And with fewer side effects, 3D-CRT is asuperior option in the radiotherapy of esophageal Carcinoma.