To the Editors:
Advanced, unresectable oesophageal cancer with airway invasion has a very poor prognosis. For tumours extending into the airway lumen, the primary goals of therapy are for the palliative relief of the malignant obstruction of the oesophageal lumen and central airway and to close the fistula between the oesophagus and central airway. Palliative options include mechanical core-out, dilatation, laser ablation, electrocautery, cryotherapy, photodynamic therapy and brachytherapy 1, 2. However, satisfactory results may not be immediate or lasting. Endoscopic stenting is effective for airway stenosis from both extrinsic compression and direct tumour invasion, and has also been shown to be useful in the treatment of tracheo-oesophageal fistulas 3. …