Endoscopic palliation of malignant dysphagia

Esophageal cancer is the primary cause of malignant dysphagia, a major caus e of morbidity and mortality. In patients with esophageal canter that is un resectable at the time of diagnosis, palliation is the major goal. Surgical treatment as well as radiation and chemoradiation therapy are traditional approaches for such patients. Endoscopic therapy is useful for patients wit h poor performance status, those in whom other treatments have failed, and those with tracheoesophageal fistulas, In recent years, self-expanding meta l stents have become an important new endoscopic treatment modality for pal liation of malignant dysphagia in a wide range of patients. Appropriate pat ient selection is paramount when a mode of palliation for malignant dysphag ia is being selected. Although various treatment options exist for palliati on of malignant dysphagia, comparative studies among these modalities are n eeded.