The Efficacy of Self-expanding Metallic Stents in the Palliation of Patients with Advanced Esophageal Cancer

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) in the palliative treatment of patients who have advanced stage esophageal cancer. Methods: Thirteen patients with advanced esophageal cancer treated with SEMS and who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. The patients were evaluated 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the procedure. Dysphagia and performance scores of the World Health Organization were used during the follow-up period. Results: Nine patients (69%) were male and 4 (31%) were female. The youngest patient was 55 years, while the oldest was 81 years old (68.1 +/- 7.2). There was no procedure-related mortality in our series. Stent migration was seen in 1 patient in the first day after the procedure'', and the stent was removed by laparotomy. One patient was presented with tumor in-growth in the 3rd month, and 1 tumor over-growth was observed in the 6th month. The mean dysphagia score during admission was 4.3, and the average performance score was 2.7. The mean dysphagia scores at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months were 0.5, 1, 2.1, and 3.5, respectively. Performance scores showed improvement in parallel with dysphagia in the first 3 months, with the averages becoming closer to the time of admission after 6 months. Conclusion: The use of SEMS in the treatment of patients with advanced stage esophageal cancer is an effective method for short-term quality palliation with lack of mortality and limited morbidity.