Esophageal cancer: current and emerging therapy modalities

Abstract

During the last few years, there has been a gradual increase in treatment options for patients with esophageal malignancies. Several clinical studies have been performed, covering not only radiation and chemotherapy, but also the introduction of novel biological agents into the treatment arsenal. Patients with esophageal carcinoma are now offered second-line and sometimes even third-line treatments, and the number of research protocols is increasing. Despite the newly awakened interest in this malignancy, the overall 5-year survival rate has remained at approximately 10% since the 1980s. This review contains a compilation of available studies of esophageal malignancies and discusses current treatment options as well as newly developed therapies targeted at growth factor receptors.

HDAC2 regulates cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and cell apoptosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma EC9706 cells

“…Esophageal cancer (EC) is a gastrointestinal cancer that is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth most lethal cancer worldwide (1)(2)(3)(4). The incidence of EC, particularly esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), which is the most prevalent histological type of EC, exhibits a significant geographical distribution, with areas of high incidence located mainly in China, South Asia, East Africa and South Africa (3,5).…”

A Phase II Study on Continuous Infusional Paclitaxel and 5-Fu as First-line Chemotherapy for Patients with Advanced Esophageal Cancer

“…PTX combined with DDP and 5-Fu is commonly used in the chemotherapy for ESCC, because the combination has the synergy effect (Ekman et al, 2008;Al-Batran et al, 2010;Herskovic et al, 2012;Mirinezhad et al, 2012 cytotoxic agents at relatively constant concentration, and reduce adverse reactions compared with short-term infusion (Hainsworth et al, 1997;Pasial et al, 1998;Polee et al, 2002;Bucci et al, 2004;West et al, 2005). We conducted a multi-center clinical trial in order to access the efficacy and toxicity of 16-hours continuous infusional PTX and 24-hours 5-Fu at a low dose as firstline chemotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cancer.…”

Clinical Implication of Elevated Human Cervical Cancer Oncogene-1 Expression in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

“…Based on histological examination, esophageal cancer includes two histological types: adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, both with an equally poor prognosis. Although the incidence of the former has increased in the United States and Europe over the past three decades, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is still the dominant histological type worldwide (Ekman et al 2008). Moreover, there is wide geographic variation in the incidence of esophageal cancer, with the highest rates occurring in China, South-Central Asia, and Eastern and Southern Africa (Parkin et al 2005), especially in Linzhou and Anyang city of Henan province, China (Yang 1980).…”