Endoscopic palliation of esophageal cancer.
Endoscopic palliation is the most suitable approach to improve quality of life in patients with esophageal cancer since diagnosis is often made at an advanced stage, when radical treatment is unfeasible. Endoscopy offers several techniques to palliate dysphagia either by stenting the stenosis or by reducing the tumor mass with thermoablation. A small number of randomized controlled trials is available to compare the efficacy of different techniques and the ideal palliation has not been defined as yet. Recently, the development of self-expandable covered metal stents has rapidly gained ground in the endoscopy units throughout the world as a simple, single step procedure for palliation of dysphagia.
Ferrante
Maurizio
M
Servizio di Gastroenterologia ed Endoscopia Digestiva, Ospedale S. Antonio Abate, Gallarate, Italy. ferrante.maurizio@libero.it
Feliziani
Marcella
M
Imperatori
Andrea
A
Ferraris
Luca
L
Bernasconi
Giordano
G
D002404:Catheterization; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015607:Stents