A pilot study of endoscopic injection chemo/sclerotherapy of esophageal carcinoma.

In a pilot study of five patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, a solution of 5 fluorouracil (25 mg/ml) and sodium morrhuate (2.5%) was injected endoscopically with a sclerotherapy catheter directly into the tumor to determine whether tumor debulking could be achieved. Tissue necrosis was apparent in three patients who had not had prior radiation or chemotherapy, but the effect lasted less than 1 month despite injections at 3- to 7-day intervals. Patients who had prior radiation treatment had tumors too firm and fibrotic to inject effectively.