Prospective Comparison of Large vs. Small Diameter Esophageal Stents for Palliation of Malignant Dysphagia

Esophageal cancer often causes difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) that can be relieved by placement of a stent (a flexible, expandable tube that props open the blockage caused by the cancer). Stents are effective but can cause complications. Stents come in different diameters. The purpose of this study is to learn if stents of different diameters are more or less effective for treatment of dysphagia caused by esophageal cancer.