Endoscopic palliation in esophageal carcinoma

Oesophageal carcinoma is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease not amenable to curative treatment. For these patients relief of dysphagia is of foremost importance to quality of life for the remaining survival time. There is a wide choice of palliative therapeutic methods. The majority of patients will benefit from implantation of a self-expanding metal stent. In this article the most frequently employed techniques of endoscopic palliation are briefly reviewed, with emphasis on metal stents.