Palliative bipolar electrocoagulation treatment of malignant gastroesophageal strictures.
Seventeen patients with non-resectable circumferential malignant strictures of the esophagus (n = 13) or the gastroesophageal junction (n = 4) were treated with a bipolar electrocoagulation tumor probe (BICAP). None had received prior radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The mean tumor length was 7.2 cm. After treatment swallowing was improved in 86.7% of the patients. The mean duration of response to the first treatment was 18 days. Three major complications (1 fatal hemorrhage, 2 tracheoesophageal fistulae) and two minor complications (chest pain) were observed. The overall actuarial survival rate after 13 months of follow-up was 20%. The BICAP tumor probe can be considered an efficacious and safe device in selected patients with long, circumferential esophageal cancers.
Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Università di Genova, Viale, Italy.
M
M
Conio
L
L
Bonelli
H
H
Martines
F
F
Munizzi
H
H
Aste
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D003679:Deglutition; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life