| [ Summary ] |
The aim of the guideline for treatment of esophageal cancer is to enable us to choose a standard treatment from various treatments available. Endoscopic mucosal resection is recommended for mucosal cancer of the esophagus, with very low incidence of lymph node metastasis. In cases of advanced cancer of the esophagus (T1b, T2 and T3), lymph node metastasis is frequently seen, and distribution depends on tumor location. Bilateral cervical lymph node dissection is recommended for surgical treatment of cervical esophageal cancer. Combined resection of the larynx and the thoracic esophagus must be considered in cases where cancer has invaded the trachea and the thoracic esophagus. Esophagectomy with three-field dissection is the standard treatment for thoracic esophageal cancer. Recent developments in chemoradiotherapy offer other effective treatments for patients with advanced esophageal cancer. Chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment of T4 esophageal cancer. While we still have some difficulties in developing the guideline, it must be revised at regular intervals to keep it up to date and useful. |