[Use of argon plasma coagulation in advanced cancers of the upper digestive tract]

Endoscopy being a diagnostic tool, allows also a nonsurgical treatment of upper gastrointestinal tract neoplasms, even at their advanced stage. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is a contact-free method of monopolar coagulation, based primarily on the effects of high frequency electrical current flow in the ionized argon. The study used in 14 patients, aged 56-85 years, with advanced carcinoma of oesophagus and/or cardia. Carcinoma was diagnosed upon the results of endoscopic and microscopic examinations. The following parameters were included in the analysis: electrical current power, number of treatment sessions, stage of dysphagia, oesophagus passage, localization and type of a tumor. The analysis revealed that APC is a highly effective as well as safe method of palliative treatment of advanced oesophageal and/or cardiac cancers. Moreover, it was noted that APC is more effective in adenocarcinomas than in squamous cell carcinomas.