Esophageal Cancer Radiation Therapy

Esophageal cancer often is asymptomatic until it has advanced or metastasized to distant organs, limiting treatment options. The 2 most common forms are squamous cell carcinomas that appear in the upper or midesophagus and esophageal adenocarcinomas that tend to occur lower in the esophagus or at the gastroesophageal junction. Since the 1980s higher rates of esophageal adenocarcinomas have been reported. Radiation therapy has emerged as a standard treatment and palliative therapy for esophageal cancer. This article introduces readers to the biology, epidemiology, diagnosis, staging, and treatment of these most common forms of esophageal cancer.