Laser therapy of tumor stenoses in the upper gastrointestinal tract: An international inquiry

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The results of an international inquiry on palliative laser therapy of malignant inoperable stenoses in the upper gastrointestinal tract are reported. The results of the treatment of a total of 1,359 patients were collected. The data from laser users with experience in more than 50 treated patients (n = 1,184) were analyzed; 68.9% of the tumor stenoses were located in the esophagus, and 55.7% were not passable with the endoscope. The initial treatment was successful in 83.0% and the complication rate was 4.1% (49 of 1,184 patients). The mortality rate was 1.0% (12 of 1,184 patients).