Parameters affecting laser palliation in patients with advanced digestive cancers.

Ninety-nine nonsurgical patients (group I) with esophagogastric cancer were referred to the laser center for palliation of dysphagia, and another 142 nonsurgical patients (group II) with a rectosigmoid cancer were referred for palliation of abnormal rectal discharge (125 patients) or occlusion (17 patients). The immediate success rate was 83% in group I and 90% in group II. Patients were retreated monthly. The average duration of palliation was 4.3 months +/- 0.5 (+/- standard error) in group I and 9.3 months +/- 0.95 in group II. Complication rate was 4% in group I and 3.4% in group II. Parameters affecting results were found only in group I. Factors that could negatively affect the immediate success rate included annular size of the tumor basis more than two thirds of the circumference, tumor localization at the upper third of the esophagus, and recurrence after a nonlaser treatment. The average duration of improvement after initial success was affected only by the circumferential extension.