[Gastroesophageal cancer: an update on diagnosis and treatment]

Esophago-gastric cancer remains a relatively rare pathology with, however, an ascending tendency in the recent years due to a variety of predisposing factors. An extensive preoperative workup and a thorough multidisciplinary discussion are the key elements to define treatment strategy. Surgery is the cornerstone of treatment for resectable tumors, even if it is associated with morbidity rates of 40-60% in medium and high-volume centers. Long-term consequences (e.g. malnutrition and late anastomotic stenosis) are present in a high proportion of patients and they raise the need for a close follow-up with the collaboration of the general practitioner, surgeon and oncologist. This multidisciplinary treatment and aftercare has the best chance to offer to the patient not only a longer overall survival, but a better quality of life as well.