title: Induction therapy for esophageal cancer.
abstract: Despite advances in treatment, long-term outcomes for esophageal cancer remain poor, with overall survival rates of between 15% and 35%. Poor long-term survival reflects locoregionally advanced disease or metastatic disease at presentation. Among patients undergoing surgical resection, 40% to 50% have stage III disease. Surgery alone results in poor locoregional control and poor long-term outcomes, with survival rates ranging from 10% to 30%. Induction therapy combining surgery with chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy attempts to improve long-term survival in these patients. This article examines the merits of various modalities of induction therapy for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Subroto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Altorki
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D006801:Humans; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011878:Radiotherapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Chemotherapy; Esophageal cancer; Neoadjuvant therapy; Radiotherapy; Surgery