Evaluation of quality of life in patients with malignant dysphagia.

Background: In the last 10 years of clinical research there has been increasing interest in the evaluation of quality of life. Several generic and specific instruments have been developed for this purpose. EORTC QLQ C-30 is a cancer-specific questionnaire translated into various languages and validated in several European countries including Italy, where the impact of malignant disease on different areas of quality of life is poorly documented.

Palliation of tracheobronchial malignant obstruction with metal stents in emergency conditions.

Background: Endoluminal obstruction, caused by tracheobronchial malignancies, can require urgent treatment in case of severe respiratory distress. In emergencies, self-expanding metal stents can be endoscopically employed to solve acute symptoms.

Methods: Between April 1992 and August 1996, 7 patients were treated by positioning of metal stents in emergency conditions and observed to verify the immediate efficacy of endoscopic therapy.

Prevention and treatment of complications after endoscopic prostheses placement in tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Endoscopic intubation is a popular palliative method to resolve immediately malignant dysphagia. However, the complication rate is still high. Between 1978 and 1993, at the Division of Diagnostic and Surgical Endoscopy of Istituto Nazionale Tumori in Milan, 305 patients suffering from malignant dysphagia, were endoscopically treated by insertion of an endoprosthesis.

Endoscopic stent placement for cancer of the lower esophagus and gastric cardia.

We reviewed our results of using stents for palliation of cancer of the lower third of the esophagus and gastric cardia. During a 14-year period, 76 patients with either lower third esophageal cancer (n = 43) or cancer of the gastric cardia (n = 33) received stents for palliation of malignant dysphagia. Successful endoscopic placement was initially achieved in all patients, with 71 patients available for follow-up.