• There may be very narrow spaces (strictures) involved, which makes laser treatment more difficult. Dilating
the esophagus first may help.
• There is acute angulation—a corner—at the junction of the esophagus with the stomach that makes laser
therapy in this area very difficult.
• Since only the tumor within the lumen is removed, tumors usually come back quickly. The therapy will have
to be repeated every two to eight weeks to keep the passage open.
• Laser therapy can help control bleeding as well as open a passageway to allow foods to be swallowed.
Combining Lasers and Other Treatments Different degrees of swallowing difficulty merit different approaches. Dilation of the esophagus before using chemotherapy or radiotherapy to help shrink the tumor may be the best way to get a functional esophageal opening that will improve the quality of life.
• Obstruction may occur with squamous cell esophageal cancer or with an adenocarcinoma of the stomach that
grows upward to obstruct the esophagus. Lasers might be used in combination with standard treatments for
these cancers.
• There may be a longer survival for squamous cell carcinoma with laser and radiation therapy . Squamous and
adenocarcinoma have the same results for laser treatment, with tumors on the surface (Stage I) being easier to
