The frequency of peptic ulcer as a cause of upper-GI bleeding is exaggerated.

Background: Peptic ulcer disease is considered the cause of upper-GI bleeding in 50% of cases. A recent decline in the proportion of cases of upper-GI bleeding because of a peptic ulcer was noted by us. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the frequency of peptic ulcer in patients with upper-GI bleeding and the proportion of bleeding peptic ulcers with a non-bleeding visible vessel.

Endoscopic Nd:YAG laser with aggressive multimodality therapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer.

Background: Laser therapy of esophageal carcinoma has been limited to management of malignant dysphagia. To investigate its cytoreductive potential, Nd:YAG laser tumor debulking was added to multimodality therapy.

Methods: From 1994-1998, 29 patients with advanced locoregional esophageal carcinoma were enrolled in a prospective experimental study of high-dose neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy together with endoscopic Nd:YAG laser photoablation.