Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma: Is There an Optimal Management?

Abstract

The incidence of gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinomas has been rising over the past few decades, creating a need for effective therapeutic strategies. Treatment of locally advanced GEJ tumors, in particular, present a unique challenge because these tumors have generally been approached as either esophageal or gastric cancers, and thus optimal preoperative management remains uncertain. Both neoadjuvant chemoradiation and perioperative chemotherapy have been widely adopted in standard practice; however, it is unclear which approach offers the optimal outcome for the fit patient capable of receiving any planned strategy. In this review, we debate the management of locally advanced GEJ adenocarcinoma, and discuss areas of ongoing investigation which may provide more effective and individualized treatment of patients with GEJ cancers.