[Endoscopic palliative tube and laser therapy in advanced cancer of the esophagus and cardia]. / Endoskopisch-palliative Tubus- und Laser-Therapie bei fortgeschrittenem Carcinom von Oesophagus und Kardia.

ABSTRACT

The treatment of patients with advanced carcinomas of esophagus and gastric cardia endoscopic palliation should restore the passage for normal oral uptake. We compared the results of two methods: endoscopic neodym-YAG-laser-therapy (group I 24 patients) and endoscopic perturbation (group II 56 patients). An initial recanalisation was achieved after 1-4 sessions in group I and after 1-2 sessions in group II. Recurrence of dysphagia caused in median 5 endoscopic interventions in group I and 2 in group II. We observed no complications in group I and 5 complications in group II. The median survival times were not significantly different. The results and the follow-up show no definite superiority of one of the two methods, the selection of treatment modality depends on the technical possibilities and the personal experience of the physicians.