Three Cases of Palliative Therapy for Unresectable Esophageal Cancer with Silicone Coated Self-expandable Metallic Stent

Abstract

Three patients with unresectable esophageal cancer were treated with silicone-coated selfexpandable metallic stents. Patient 1 was a man aged 49 years with unresectable cancer of the proximal esophagus owing to esophagobronchial fistula and intrabronchial dissemination. He was treated with a silicone-coated self-expandable metallicstent as palliative therapy. Patient 2, a man aged 61 years, was diagnosed with cancer of the proximal-middle esophagus, but we could not perform a radical operation because of his severe pulmonary disfunction. Thus we found it necessary to use a metallic stent. Patient 3 was a woman aged 85 years with proximal esophageal cancer. We couldn't perform a radical operation because of her cardiopulmonary disfunction. Therefore she underwent palliative treatment with a metallic stent. After stenting, all patients were able to ingest a semi-solid diet, and quality of life (QOL) was much improved. This improvement has been sustained for 27-56 days (mean 42 days). Further trials seem needed to evaluate the clinical role of this palliative treatment of esophageal cancer stenosis.