[Therapeutic effect of argon plasma coagulation on small malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract]. / Therapeutischer Effekt der Argon Plasma Koagulation (APC) auf kleine Malignome des Gastrointestinums.

The use of argon plasma coagulation has proved to be an effective method of non-contact electrocoagulation with high efficiency in palliative treatment of gastrointestinal lesions. In this study there were 10 patients suffering from small oesophageal malignant tumors; in 5 patients no further tumor could be detected in biopsies during a period up to 34 months, in the other cases passage could kept open. These results suggest this treatment as an alternative therapy in selected patients.

[Esophageal carcinoma: downstaging or stent?]. / Osophaguskarzinom: Downstaging oder Stent?

Multimodal therapeutic concepts including radio-chemotherapy show: High therapeutic benefit for the (10-40%) responses. -No adequate local and/or systemic response in 35-80% of patients. -Relatively high therapeutic risk (20-70% complication rate). -Hardly acceptable quality of life during downstaging. It is concluded that downstaging should be performed only in controlled trials with differentiated staging and control of the local and distant tumor manifestations. Unclear remains the role of surgery. For palliative intentions endoscopy offers new methods (argon plasma coagulation, metal stents) with high effectivity, low complication rate and high comfort for the patient.