Abstract

Oesophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive neoplasms of the digestive tract, with high morbidity and mortality. According to histology, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma are among the most common, constituting 90% of esophageal neoplasms patients with unresectable tumors with metastasis presence or with medical contraindications for surgical treatment with a less than three month survival; there are several palliative therapies available for this kind of patients in order to improve swallowing as much as possible, as well as the placement of multiple self-expanding metal esophageal stents to improve digestive transit in cases of stenosis and recurrence of dysphagia due to tumor overgrowth. A case report is presented with the aim of assessing the effectiveness of multiple self-expanding prostheses placement in a patient with esophageal tumor overgrowth.

The patient was continuously assessed over a period of three years. According to the international literature, it has been shown that the insertion of new coated prostheses prevents or delays obstruction. The patient was assessed by a follow-up study: a week, a month and six months later. Then, she was regularly assisted in the outpatient department with this aim, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its EORTC QLQ-OES18 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Oesophagus-specific-18) EORTC complement were applied, in order to improve the life quality according to the patient's perception.

Keywords: Life quality; Cancer patient; Multiple self-expandable endoprostheses; Esophageal cancer