Expandable metal stents versus laser combined with radiotherapy for palliation of unresectable esophageal cancer: a prospective randomized trial

This is a critical abstract of an economic evaluation that meets the criteria for inclusion on NHS EED. Each abstract contains a brief summary of the methods, the results and conclusions followed by a detailed critical assessment on the reliability of the study and the conclusions drawn. The authors suggested that, since survival was "identical" in the two groups and group 1 had more treatment-related complications (including two deaths), stent treatment (with laser treatment where necessary) is the preferred treatment. The authors also drew the readers' attention to the "economic aspects" of treatment with self-expanding metal stents with or without prior laser treatment, referring to the cheaper costs associated with this treatment.