Endoscopic management of advanced oesophageal cancer

Effective palliation of dysphagia is the goal in the majority of patients with oesophageal cancer. A number of methods have been developed to achieve this objective. The choice of method is determined mainly by the physical characteristics of the tumour causing the dysphagia. The low complication rate, ease of insertion as a result of small delivery systems, and the large stent diameters which are achieved with self-expanding metal stents, have made these an increasingly popular alternative compared to other methods.