Therapeutic options for esophageal cancer

Abstract

Options for the treatment of esophageal cancer used to be very limited, with surgical resection and radiotherapy methods aimed at both cure or palliation, and, in those unfortunate patients with severe dysphagia, intubation with a plastic prosthesis to restore esophageal luminal patency. Progress in the management of this cancer in the past two decades includes refinement in surgical techniques and perioperative care, better radiological staging methods, enhanced means of planning and delivering radiotherapy, multimodality treatments, and better designs in esophageal prosthesis. For individual patients, a stage-directed therapeutic plan can be used. Long-term survival, however, remains suboptimal for this deadly disease. The current review presents an overview of the commonly employed therapeutic options for esophageal cancer at the beginning of the 21st century. © 2004 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.