The endoscopic diagnosis and staging of oesophageal adenocarcinoma

The endoscopic evaluation of patients with oesophageal adenocarcinoma does not only serve the purpose of diagnosing the lesion and obtaining biopsies for histological evaluation: a systematic description of advanced lesions is also required to guide further therapeutic decisions. New endoscopic imaging modalities hold the promise of better endoscopic detection of early cancer and its precursor lesions in Barrett's oesophagus. Video-autofluorescence and narrow band imaging are the most promising techniques in this respect. The former may be used as a 'red flag' technique, identifying lesions that remain occult with white light endoscopy; the latter may be used as a targeted imaging technique, allowing for detailed inspection of the mucosal and vascular patterns that may help to distinguish early neoplasia from non-dysplastic tissue. Currently, prototypes are under investigation that combine high-resolution endoscopy, narrow band imaging and video-autofluorescence in one endoscopy system. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is superior to any other imaging modality in the assessment of local tumour infiltration of oesophageal adenocarcinoma and locoregional lymph nodes status. EUS allows for the identification of patients with advanced disease who are unlikely to benefit from attempts at curative surgery and in whom a conservative palliative treatment is indicated. EUS may also play a role in the selection of patients for local endoscopic treatment of early oesophageal cancer. EUS guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of locoregional lymph nodes is safe with a high sensitivity and an impeccable specificity for assessment of malignant involvement. The indications for EUS-FNA of lymph nodes, however, depend on local treatment protocols: caeliac nodes (M1a) and lymph nodes located at or above the subcarinal area are the most widely used indications. In addition, it may be important if the choice for specific treatment protocols (e.g. neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy) depends on lymph node status.