[Clinical outcomes of stenting for malignant bowel obstruction in terminally ill cancer patients].

We evaluated the effects of stenting for malignant bowel obstruction in terminally ill cancer patients. Six terminally ill cancer patients with malignant bowel obstruction underwent gastrointestinal stenting at our department from November 2010 to October 2012. Stent insertion was successful and abdominal symptoms improved in all cases. Oral intake improved in 4 cases. Descending colon perforation occurred in 1 case. The survival time ranged between 10 and 184 days( median, 71.5 days). The palliative performance status (PPS) improved in 4 cases, and the survival time was extended as assessed by the palliative prognostic index (PPI). In cases with a PPI of were more than 6.0, namely cases for which the estimated survival time was less than 3 weeks, survival time and oral intake did not change. These findings suggest that gastrointestinal stenting is clinically useful for malignant obstruction and improving the PPS and prognosis in terminally ill patients with malignant bowel obstruction.