Advancements in Esophageal Cancer Management: The Path to Improved Outcomes

Abstract

Esophageal cancer remains one of the most common types of cancer worldwide and is a major public health issue that is predicted to become more prevalent in the coming years. Squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma
represent the most prevalent types of esophageal cancer. Due to variables including obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease, the latter is more often seen in developing countries. Factors such as the extent of tumor infiltration, the
involvement of lymph nodes, and the existence of metastasis are considered when determining the disease's stage. The staging process guides the decision-making process for choosing treatment approaches. Treatment options include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies, with a multidisciplinary approach that may involve endoscopic options and neoadjuvant treatment. As esophageal cancer treatment options, radiation is becoming more and more popular due to its quick technical improvements. However, the role of surgery in superficial cancers is still under debate, and locally advanced cancers are typically treated with a multimodal approach. Targeted therapies and immunotherapy, informed by genomics and molecular biology, offer personalized cancer therapy and new clinical trials. This review focuses solely on the curative treatment pathway and highlight emerging advances in endo therapy, surgery, targeted therapy and combination therapies.