Patients with inoperable cancer of the esophagus were followed up for 1-3 years after a course of palliative endoscopic destruction of tumor. Residual growth occurred in 88.1% with an average stabilization period of 47 days. Among the unfavorable prognostic factors were partial decomposition of tumor, squamous-cell pattern, size of more than 9 cm, circular extension through the esophagus and stage III stenosis. With the aid of newly-developed methods of outpatient endoscopic destruction, 94.2% could eat throughout their survival period. Mean survival time was 5.6 months or 7.3 months in metastasis-free cases.