Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal adenocarcinoma

The poor outcome associated with surgical resection alone for most patients with locoregional esophageal cancer has generated intensive investigation of combined-modality treatment approaches that include systemic chemotherapy. This review discusses the current role of chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, given in either the pre-operative (neoadjuvant) or post-operative (adjuvant) setting compared to surgery alone, highlighting the results of large, randomized clinical trials that included patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus as well as some of the approaches being evaluated with novel therapies in earlier phase clinical trials. Although no definitive recommendations for pre-operative or post-operative treatment can be made for patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus based on outcomes reported in randomized clinical trials performed to date, the results from these trials suggest chemotherapy or chemoradiation in the peri-operative period may have benefit, especially in certain sub-groups. Newer, more effective agents are needed as well as methods to identify which tumors will respond to therapy. Improvement in outcomes for patients with this disease will require rigorous evaluation of newer multi-modality regimens in well-designed and appropriately powered clinical trials.