[Endoscopic laser coagulation of the tumor in patients with cancer of the esophagus and proximal portion of the stomach].

The paper discusses the results of treatment of 152 cases of cancer of the esophagus and proximal part of the stomach presenting with grade III-IV dysphagia. In 107 patients, treatment included endoscopic laser coagulation of tumor: in 52 the procedure was combined with radiation and in 18 cases-with chemotherapy, whereas in 37 patients the method was used alone for palliation only attempting at return to enteral nutrition. Histories of 45 patients with esophageal cancer who had received standard treatment served as control. Laser coagulation-associated lethality was 1.9%. Normal food passage was restored in 97.6% of esophageal cancer patients and in 96% of those with cancer of the proximal part of the stomach. The mean overall survival was 8.7, 8.4 and 7.3 months for the study groups and 3.2 months only for controls. The mean dysphagia-free survival was 48.5 days.