Mumps, measles, and rubella vaccination and encephalitis.

Comment There are three major problems in the endoscopic laser treatment of bleeding gastric cancer. Firstly, the tumour is often large, making coagulation of the entire surface impossible. Secondly, tumours may protrude into the lumen, making access to the distal surface of the lesion impossible. Finally, blood and clot in the stomach obscure the view. The possibility of using the laser at low power for long exposure times with the fibre inserted directly into a tumour was first suggested as a method of destroying solid tumours in 1983,' and this technique is being developed for the percutaneous treatment of solid liver and pancreatic cancers.4 Initial studies using this technique on normal liver tissue have shown that vessels can be permanently occluded and predictable tissue necrosis produced.' There were no complications, although excessive treatment might produce perforation. This initial study shows that the clinical effect of interstitial laser photocoagulation on the bulk of the tumour is dramatic and that bleeding can be stopped.