Response:

We appreciate the comments from Drs Smith and Dua1 regarding lower dysphagia scores in our stent group, in which the patients had worse pain and decreased nutritional profiles after chemoradiotherapy.2 They suggested insertion of self-expendable metal stents (SEMSs) in esophageal cancer patients with grade 3-4 dysphagia in the neoadjuvant setting.3 We totally agree that more invasive modalities should be reserved for those with more severe symptoms. Actually, our method to select routes of enteral nutrition were based more on the findings of endoscopy (eg, tumor length and severity of stenosis) than on the subjective dysphagia score.
Source: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research