[Diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer]

The prognosis for patients with advanced esophageal cancer is poor. Proper risk assessment and knowledge of tumor biology may facilitate early diagnosis of adenocarcinomas and squamous cell cancer of the esophagus. New endoscopic techniques are available (e.g., (virtual) chromoendoscopy, autofluorescence, and endomicroscopy) for the early detection of cancer. Endoscopic therapy with complete resection of mucosal cancers offers long-term survival.En bloc resection combined with the removal of locoregional lymph nodes is the surgical option of choice for locally advanced cancer. In this respect, minimally invasive surgery offers the patient numerous advantages. Multimodal therapy results in better outcome for defined cancer stages and includes surgery, chemotherapy and chemoradiation. Multimodal treatment should always be individualized and requires cooperation of all subspecialties (tumor board conference). New chemotherapeutic strategies may offer improved survival but may also include new side effects. Patients with inoperable esophageal cancer also benefit from multimodal treatment.