title: [Use of argon plasma coagulation in advanced cancers of the upper digestive tract].
abstract: Endoscopy being a diagnostic tool, allows also a nonsurgical treatment of upper gastrointestinal tract neoplasms, even at their advanced stage. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is a contact-free method of monopolar coagulation, based primarily on the effects of high frequency electrical current flow in the ionized argon. The study used in 14 patients, aged 56-85 years, with advanced carcinoma of oesophagus and/or cardia. Carcinoma was diagnosed upon the results of endoscopic and microscopic examinations. The following parameters were included in the analysis: electrical current power, number of treatment sessions, stage of dysphagia, oesophagus passage, localization and type of a tumor. The analysis revealed that APC is a highly effective as well as safe method of palliative treatment of advanced oesophageal and/or cardiac cancers. Moreover, it was noted that APC is more effective in adenocarcinomas than in squamous cell carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Oddział Gastroenterologii Samodzielnego Szpitala Wojewódzkiego w Piotrkowie Trybunalskim.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neneman
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasiorowska
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Małecka-Panas
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001128:Argon / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D002299:Cardia / Q000601:surgery*; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001128:Argon