The prognosis of esophageal cancer is poor with a 5-year survival of 10-15%. In addition, over 50% of patients with esophageal cancer already have an inoperable disease at presentation. The majority of these patients require palliative treatment to relieve progressive dysphagia. Metal stent placement and single dose brachytherapy (intraluminal radiation) are the two most widely used palliative treatments for dysphagia from esophageal cancer, however, their relative merits are unknown. In this thesis, we present the results of the first randomized trial comparing metal stent placement with single dose brachytherapy for the palliation of dysphagia from inoperable esophageal cancer. Between December 1999 and June 2002, 209 patients with dysphagia from inoperable carcinoma of the esophagus or gastro-esophageal junction were randomized to placement of a metal stent (n=108) or single dose brachytherapy (n=101). Patients randomized to stent placement received an Ultraflex stent, patients in the brachytherapy group were treated with a single intraluminal radiation dose of 12 Gray. We compared the two treatments with respect to relief of dysphagia, complications, treatment for persistent or recurrent dysphagia, health related quality of life and costs.

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Erasmus MC, Janssen-Cilag B.V., Boston-Scientific Europe and Medicor Nederland B.V., Kuipers, Prof. Dr. E.J. (promotor)
E.J. Kuipers (Ernst)
Erasmus University Rotterdam
hdl.handle.net/1765/7338
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Homs, M. (2004, September 17). Palliation of Dysphagia from Esophageal Cancer. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/7338