Endoscopic cryo spray ablation warrants further investigation as a palliative treatment modality …

• Abstract
• Background
• Case presentation
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References
• Figures

Biology Articles » Cryobiology » Cryospray ablation (CSA) in the palliative treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus » Background

Background

- Cryospray ablation (CSA) in the palliative treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus

Esophageal carcinoma is the ninth most prevalent cancer worldwide with squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) and adenocarcinoma accounting for the vast majority of new cases (13,900 in 2003 in the USA) [1,2]. Cure rates in the U.S. are less than 10%, similar to lung cancer [3]. The definitive surgical therapy, esophagectomy, can provide 10–26%, 5-year, disease-free, all-stage survival rates [3,4]. However, more than 50% of patients with esophageal carcinoma present with unresectable or metastatic disease and are not surgical candidates, or display disease progression despite the addition of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy to surgery [3-5].

Cryospray ablation (CSA) using liquid nitrogen sprayed through a low pressure device has recently been described to be effective and safe in the treatment of Barrett's esophagus including high-grade dysplasia [6-12]. This case report describes the first use of CSA in a patient with recurrent SCCA for palliative treatment that has resulted in complete remission for 2 years.