Prospective quality-of-life analysis after palliative photoablation for the treatment of malignant dysphagia.

Forty patients were treated for the relief of malignant dysphagia by using laser photoablation. Their quality of life was assessed before the start of treatment and at monthly intervals until death. Two methods were used, a physician's assessment (QL index) and a patient's self-assessment, the linear analogue self-assessment (LASA). There was significant correlation between assessments done at different times by different physicians (QL index rs, 0.786; P less than 0.001; LASA rs, 0.865; P less than 0.001). The correlation coefficient of the QL index and the LASA score with the patient's dysphagia grade was 0.459 and 0.336, respectively. The patient's swallowing ability, QL index, and LASA all were improved significantly at some time after laser therapy. The mean survival was 16 weeks with 58% of patients dying at home, 28% in the hospital, and 18% in a hospice. It was concluded that laser photoablation improves the overall quality of life in patients with malignant dysphagia.