Using Metal Stents to Help Esophageal Cancer Patients Swallow Better
Author Information
Author(s): Kundalia Rohin, Kodali Revanth Kumar, Deka Dibyajyoti, Talukdar Abhijit, Jyoti kalita Deep, Das Gaurav, Sharma Shivaji, Malhotra Mohit
Primary Institution: Dr Bhubaneswar Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati, India
Hypothesis
This study aims to assess the role of self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) in the palliation of dysphagia in patients with esophageal cancer.
Conclusion
The placement of SEMS is a safe and effective palliative intervention for managing dysphagia in esophageal cancer, leading to improvements in patient nutrition and quality of life.
Supporting Evidence
- 65.3% of patients could tolerate semisolid food one week after stent placement.
- Prior to stent insertion, 87.8% had Grade 4 dysphagia, which improved to 90.2% having only Grade 1 dysphagia at 6 months post-SEMS placement.
- Statistically significant improvements in weight, BMI, and serum albumin were observed at 1, 3, and 6 months after stent placement.
Takeaway
Doctors used special metal tubes to help people with esophageal cancer eat better, and it worked really well for most of them.
Methodology
This was a single-center, prospective observational study conducted from April 2019 to March 2020, assessing patients after stent placement for improvements in dysphagia, pain relief, nutritional status, and complications.
Limitations
The study was conducted at a single center, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
The study included 50 patients aged 32 to 80 years, with a majority being male (62%) and diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (90%).
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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