مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Self-expandable metallic stents for palliative treatment of esophageal cancer

Abstract :

Aim. Esophageal cancer is common in Turkey. Many of the patients apply to clinics at the advanced stage and curative treatment is usually not possible. Mean survival ranges between 4 to 6 months in these patients. Self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) are used to relieve dysphagia and increase quality of the life in inoperable esophageal cancer patients and are important in palliation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and complications of self-expandable esophageal metallic stents as a palliative treatment option in patients with advanced esophageal tumors narrowing the esophageal lumen. Method. SEMS was placed to nineteen patients with dysphagia in Akdeniz University Hospital between the years of 2006 and 2010. Dysphagia was graded before and after stent placement. Complications were evaluated after the stent placement. Results. The stent placement procedure was technically successful in all of the patients. Dysphagia decreased after insertion of self-expandable esophageal metallic stents from grade 4 to grade 2 in 47.4% of patients and from grade 3 to grade 2 in 52.6% of patients. No life-threatening complications occurred. Conclusion. Undernutrition appears to be closely related with poor outcome of esophageal cancer. This study suggested that palliative stent placement in inoperable esophageal cancer was effective to relieve dysphagia.