Summary

In advanced esophageal cancer, 90% of patients have dysphagia as their predominant symptom. Although chemotherapy has demonstrated benefits in curing esophageal cancer, the only data on appropriate palliative treatment are from small, retrospective trials. The Advanced Oesophageal Cancer Study to Compare Quality of Life and Palliation of Dysphagia [NCT00193882] aims to establish effective and minimally toxic treatments for relief of dysphagia in advanced esophageal cancer and to determine the effects of common cancer treatments on quality of life.