Obstructing esophageal cancer produces severe dysphagia with ensuing death within 90 days. Palliation is possible with modalities like stent placement, laser, and photodynamic therapy. However, these treatments have a high rate of complications, and the overall mortality is not altered. A new alternative treatment evaluated in this study is endoscopic intratumoral injection with cisplatin/epinephrine (CDDP/epi) gel. CDDP/epi gel injections were administered weekly for 3 to 8 weeks in nine patients, median age, 72 years; mean tumor volume (+/-SEM), 41.44 (+/-22.4) cm3. Eight patients had stage IV, and one had stage III esophageal carcinoma. The mean dysphagia score (+/-SEM) was 3.5 (+/-0.17). All patients were followed up until death. Dysphagia resolved in eight patients with reduction in mean dysphagia score (+/-SEM) from 3.5 (+/-0.17) to 0.75 (+/-0.28; p = 0.005). Tumor volume was reduced by 75% in one patient and by 50% in two patients. The median survival was 4 months. The longest follow-up has been 15 months (458 days). In this pilot study, intratumoral injection of CDDP/epi gel restored swallowing in eight of nine patients and was an effective and safe outpatient treatment in patients with obstructive esophageal cancer.
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