title: Low-power laser therapy for gastrointestinal neoplasia.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in the degree of neoplasia-induced stenosis and clinical symptoms before and after therapy with a contact low-power neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. Fifty patients with pathologically proven gastrointestinal (GI) neoplasia were studied; 21 with benign lesions and 29 with malignant tumors. The low-power contact Nd:YAG laser was applied toward the lesion, using an antegrade method as the scope was moved circumferentially and downward along the length of the lesions, step-by-step. The energy of the laser was 20W, with a duration of 1 to 2 min for each shot. Either the tumor was eradicated completely, or the neoplasia-induced stenosis was recanalized by laser via the endoscope. All benign lesions were completely remitted by laser therapy. The clinical symptoms in the 29 patients with malignant GI neoplasia showed a significant improvement (P < 0.001; Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test, one-tailed) after laser therapy in comparison with the symptoms before treatment. Malignant GI stenosis treated by laser resulted in recanalization in 93.1% of the 29 patients. Unfortunately, in 1 patient with gastric cancer, the disease progressively worsened after treatment. One of 3 patients with early cancer of the stomach who received laser therapy was found to have distant metastasis 2 years later. A patient with esophageal cancer developed an esophagobronchial fistula that was not a direct complication of the laser effect. Four patients with malignancies died of cancer progression during the 2 years of follow-up. We conclude that the low-power contact laser is a safe, convenient method for the treatment of both benign and malignant tumors. Patients with advanced obstructive lesions have a better quality of life after laser therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: R Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Shyu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium
chemical_list: D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium