Recent developments in the systemic therapy of advanced gastroesophageal malignancies

Cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract are a common cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. The prognosis for patients with these cancers remains poor and only a minority of patients are cured. Systemic therapy has been used to treat patients with advanced disease but outcomes have not improved dramatically in the past few decades. Newer, more effective agents are desperately needed, and agents such as the taxanes (docetaxel and paclitaxel), irinotecan, oxaliplatin and capecitabine have recently shown some promise. In addition, molecularly targeted, non-cytotoxic therapies are being evaluated with the hope of improving the available therapeutic options. This article reviews the current clinical data regarding systemic therapy for patients with advanced upper gastrointestinal malignancies.