Multidisciplinary treatment of advanced cancer of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction: a European center's approach.
Tremendous progress has been made in surgery for cancer of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction. After primary surgery, overall 5-year survival rates of 35% or more are obtained in high-volume units, and for advanced stage III cancer, 5-year survival reaches 25%. Multimodality therapy, in particular induction chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy, results in a complete response rate in up to 25% of the patients. Approximately 50% of the patients receiving such treatment do not respond, however, and their outcome is dismal. Therefore, further efforts are needed to elaborate more precise algorithms for selecting candidates for induction therapy versus primary surgery.
Lerut
Toni
T
Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. toni.lerut@uzleuven.be
Moons
Johnny
J
Coosemans
Willy
W
Decaluwé
Herbert
H
Decker
Georges
G
De Leyn
Paul
P
Nafteux
Philippe
P
Van Raemdonck
Dirk
D
D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D010348:Patient Care Team; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*