Quality of Life and Dysphagia Following Palliative Stenting in Esophageal Cancer

This study consists of a prospective clinical trial which aims to evaluate the impact of stent insertion for palliation of malignant dysphagia. The main goal being to examine the number of days required following stenting in order to have significant improvement in dysphagia and the length of time that this baseline is maintained. Approximately 100 patients will be prospectively enrolled in this study. Patients with end stage inoperable esophageal cancer deemed candidates for intraluminal esophageal palliative stent insertion will be prospectively enrolled into the study. Patients with esophageal obstruction or stricture due to other benign causes, tumors obstructing the cervical esophagus, as well as patients with airway-esophageal fistulas will be excluded from the study. The investigators plan to evaluate the efficacy of intra-esophageal stent insertion to improve malignant dysphagia as a main factor affecting the quality of life in these patients.