Safety and efficacy of oesophageal stenting with simultaneous percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy as a supplementary feeding route in unresectable proximal oesophageal cancer

Introduction
Proximally located oesophageal cancer poses an especially difficult problem in terms of restoration of patency and the stenting procedure. Supplementary percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) may be useful in these patients.

Aim
To assess the safety of the stenting procedure in the proximal oesophagus in patients with unresectable upper oesophageal cancer, performed simultaneously with PEG insertion.

Material and methods
Patients with obstructing upper oesophageal tumours were scheduled for an oesophageal stenting procedure and simultaneous PEG insertion. Degree of dysphagia, body weight loss, daily energy requirement, body mass index and performance status before and after the stenting procedure as well as complications were assessed.

Results
Forty-five patients aged 19–88 years were included in the study. Six of them had a fistula to the trachea and underwent stenting of the oesophagus or both the oesophagus and the airway. The technical success rate was 100%. Following the procedure all patients were able to swallow fluids and semi-liquids, and PEG was used as the primary feeding route. Body mass index increased from 20.4 to 21.1 (p = 0.0001), body weight gain improved from –10.1 to +2.0 kg and metabolic requirements improved (p = 0.0001). Also, the Karnofsky score improved significantly (56.7 vs. 65.1, p = 0.0001). Mean survival time was 133 days (range: 36–378).

Conclusions
Stenting of the proximal oesophagus with simultaneous PEG is a safe procedure, allowing the patients to resume oral intake of liquids whilst improving nutritional status and general performance, with an acceptable rate of complications.