Treatment outcomes of low-radial-force self-expandable metal stent placement and palliative radiotherapy for unresectable advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with dysphagia - PubMed
3 days ago
- #Palliative Care
- #Dysphagia Management
- #Esophageal Cancer
- The study compares palliative radiotherapy (RT) and low-radial-force self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement for dysphagia in unresectable advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
- Adverse events (Grade ≥2 and ≥3) showed no significant differences between the stent (29.4% and 5.8%) and RT groups (34.9% and 6.7%).
- Stent placement led to significantly greater improvement in Dysphagia Score (DS) at 1 month compared to RT, with no differences at 2 or 3 months.
- Achieving DS ≤1 was more common with stents (76.5%) than RT (44.4%).
- Maintenance of DS ≤1 was shorter with stents if additional SEMS placement was considered an event, but no difference existed if additional SEMS was allowed.
- Low-radial-force SEMS is safe and effective, particularly for early oral intake, and can prolong oral intake when additional stent placement is permissible.