title: Improvement of quality of life and survival using self-expandable metal stent placement for severe malignant stenosis of the gastric body: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Advanced gastric carcinoma often decreases quality of life because of upper gastrointestinal tract stenosis. Self-expandable metal stents have been thought to be an effective, minimally invasive treatment for stenosis. However, the effectiveness of self-expandable metal stent placement for carcinomatous stenosis of the gastric body and antrum has not been clarified, and there have been few reports of such cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 74-year-old Japanese woman developed stenosis of the gastric body and antrum caused by advanced gastric cancer during first-line chemotherapy. She developed weight loss and poor nutrition due to inadequate intake. Self-expandable metal stent placement for stenosis of the gastric body and antrum ameliorated her symptoms rapidly and improved her general condition and quality of life. Eight days after self-expandable metal stent placement, second-line chemotherapy could be administered safely. Oral intake and nutritional status were maintained for 117 days after self-expandable metal stent placement, and she died of gastric cancer 176 days after self-expandable metal stent placement and initiation of second-line chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-expandable metal stent placement for carcinomatous stenosis in the gastric body and antrum could be an effective therapeutic strategy for patients with inadequate oral uptake. It may provide rapid improvement of the patient's general condition and oral intake with minimal complications, comparatively long-term symptom relief, and a survival benefit by allowing second-line chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Kyushu University Hospital, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. e-baba@intmed1.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hozumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nio
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirakawa
authors.forename: Keita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchino
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kusaba
authors.forename: Taichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komoda
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maeyama
authors.forename: Eishi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akashi
authors.forename: Eishi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baba