Purpose. - To compare the prognosis of elderly patients with early oesophageal carcinoma between radical elective nodal prophylactic irradiation and involved-field irradiation and to estimate the failure modes and adverse effects, then to provide the patients the safe and individual therapeutic regimens. Material and methods. - The charts of 96 patients aged 65 and over with early stage oesophageal carcinoma receiving radical radiotherapy in our department were retrospectively analysed. Of all the patients, 49 received elective nodal prophylactic irradiation and the other 47 received involved-field irradiation. After completion of the whole treatment, we analysed short-term effects, tumour local control, overall survival of the patients, failure modes and adverse effects. Results. - The 1-, 3-, and 5-year local control rate in elective nodal irradiation and involved-field irradiation groups were 80.6%, 57.4%, 54.0% and 65.4%, 46.5%, 30.5% respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2) = 4.478, P = 0.03). The differences of overall survival and progression-free survival were not significant (P>0.05). The difference of 1-, 3-, and 5-years local regional failure rate was statistically significant between elective nodal prophylactic irradiation and involved-field irradiation groups, except for the overall failure and distant metastasis rates. The overall incidence of radiation -induced oesophagitis after elective nodal irradiation or involved-field irradiation was 79.6% and 59.6%, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2) = 4.559, P = 0.03). The difference of radiation pneumonitis between elective nodal prophylactic irradiation and involved-field irradiation was not significant (12.2% vs 14.9%; chi(2) = 0.144, P = 0.7). Conclusion. - For elderly patients with early stage oesophageal carcinoma receiving radical radiotherapy, although elective nodal prophylactic irradiation could increase the incidence of radiation-induced oesophagitis, patients could tolerate the treatment and benefit from local control. (C) 2016 Societe francaise de radiotherapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.