A randomized phase II study of palliative radiation of advanced central lung tumors with intentional avoidance of the esophagus. Patients will be randomized between standard of care palliative thoracic radiation and esophageal-sparing intensity-modulated radiation therapy (ES-IMRT) in a 1:1 ratio. Radiotherapy will be administered as soon as possible following randomization and subjects will be followed for 1 year after completion of their radiation therapy. The primary endpoint is esophageal quality of life as measured by the Esophageal Cancer Subscore (ECS) of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Esophagus (FACT-E).