Endoscopic palliative therapy in neoplastic diseases of the esophagus

Over the past 20 years, fiberoptic endoscopy, followed by video-endoscopy, has taken on an increasingly important role in the diagnostics and therapy for digestive tract diseases. Especially in the field of oncology, endoscopy is fundamental not only for the diagnosis and staging of diseases of the gastroenteric tract but also as definitive and/or palliative therapy for tumors that do not respond to radical treatment. Endoscopic techniques are widely employed in diseases of the esophagus and the head and neck district. In fact, it is generally accepted that only 35% of patients with cancer of the esophagus or of the cardias may benefit from surgery with 5-year survival rates of about 5% in Western countries (1, 2).