Outcomes following palliative oesophageal stenting and its associated factors

Aims To study the outcomes of palliative esophageal stent insertion including patient characteristics, procedural complications, and survival.

Methods Patients who underwent esophageal stent insertion between April 2020 and April 2024 at Cambridge University Hospital were identified from the local endoscopy database. Electronic health care records were accessed to identify patient characteristics, pathological diagnosis, procedure-related complications, and post-procedure survival. Survival data were calculated using the date of last visit or date of death. Statistical analyses of the collected data were performed using SPSS version 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Survival data were tabulated using the Kaplan–Meier method and life table analysis.

Results Of the 110 patients, 60.9% were males and the mean (95% CI) age of the sample was 74.1 (72.1-76.1) years. Ninety-four percent of the patients died by the time of the analysis. Sixty-two percent and 29% of the patients had adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, respectively. Lower and middle esophageal involvement was observed in 37.3% and 34% of patients, respectively. Thirty-six percent of patients received both radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The stent types used were partially covered self-expandable metal stents (33.6%) and fully covered stents (27.3%). Stent migration (11.8%) and blockage (9.1%) were the most common complications. The median survival times of patients with squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and other types were 162, 97and 74 days, respectively. The median survival of the lesions in the upper, lower, middle esophagus, and GOJ was 162, 119,113 and 111 days, respectively. Patients who received radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or no treatment had a median survival of 123, 87, and 59 days, respectively.

Conclusions Esophageal stenting is an effective palliative treatment. Stent migration and blockage were common complications. The squamous type, involvement of the upper esophagus had relatively better survival outcomes.

Publication History

Article published online:
27 March 2025