Customization of therapy for gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma patients

Gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas (GEACs) remain a global health problem. These are most often diagnosed at advanced stage and the estimated 5-year relative survival rate is about 5%. Although cure is not possible for patients with advanced GEAC, systemic therapy (chemotherapy or biochemotherapy) can palliate symptoms, improve survival and provide a better quality of life. One of the most promising options for some patients with advanced stage GEAC is immunotherapy, which can result in durable responses. Numerous phase III trials evaluating targeted therapies in different lines are ongoing and it is hoped that better biomarkers will emerge to identify patients who can benefit from targeted agents and immunotherapy in the future. Surgery remains as the corner stone for localized GEAC and adjunctive therapies can increase the survival rates by about 10%. The high toxicity and low completion rates of adjuvant therapy led to the strategies of preoperative treatment. With the results of ongoing pre-operative therapy trials we will be able to determine the optimal adjunctive approach for resectable GEAC.