Expandable stents for malignant esophageal disease.

Esophageal cancer is diagnosed in about 400,000 patients each year worldwide, and its incidence is increasing faster than that of any other malignancy. This makes it the ninth most common malignancy and sixth on the list of cancer mortality causes. Most patients with esophageal cancer present at a stage that is too advanced for curative therapy, and many die within a few months. Treatment of dysphagia is the main goal of palliative care in more than 50% of incurable cases. Although many different palliative options for malignant dysphagia are available, expandable stent placement is the most commonly performed treatment modality.