A Review of Advances in Radiotherapy in the Setting of Esophageal Cancers

Abstract

Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer worldwide and is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related mortality. The paradigm has shifted to include a multimodality approach with surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy (including immunotherapy), and radiation therapy. Advances in radiotherapy through techniques such as intensity modulated radiotherapy and proton beam therapy have allowed for the more dose homogeneity and improved organ sparing. In addition, recent studies of targeted therapies and predictive approaches in patients with locally advanced disease provide clinicians with new approaches to modify multimodality treatment to improve clinical outcomes.

Keywords: Chemoradiotherapy; Combination therapy; Esophageal cancer; Gastric cancer; IMRT; PBT; Targeted therapy.