Esophageal stenting in the neoadjuvant setting offers improved results compared with feeding tubes both in maintaining preoperative nutrition and in tolerance of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Future protocols of patients treated with multimodal therapy for cancer of the esophagus should investigate the potential therapeutic benefit of using removable silicone esophageal stents as an alternative to feeding tubes.
Endoluminal stents are commonly used for palliative treatment of dysphagia in patients with advanced esophageal malignancies. The most frequently used esophageal stents are self-expanding metal stents. Removable self-expanding plastic stents have recently been used in the management of esophageal cancer patients treated with curative intent. Esophageal stents effectively alleviate dysphagia in most patients, and stent placement is associated with a low rate of complications. This article reviews the use of self-expanding esophageal stents in patients with esophageal cancer. Nutrition considerations following stent placement are addressed.
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