Laser therapy for esophageal cancer can be characterized as follows. For an endoscopic purpose, it can be used for the radical treatment in ep-mm cancer with an exact diagnosis on the depth of invasion, for the treatment of severe esophageal stenosis due to cancer, in which Ell-Hochberger probe is recommended for safety, and for the treatment of airway obstruction due to cancer invasion, especially for immediate improvement of lung atelectasis and dyspnea. For an intraoperative purpose the laser-scalpel is considered to be less important. PDT should be introduced in the near future to control cancer invasion to surrounding areas and other organs.
