Current options in the management of gastrointestinal cancer

Surgery is the standard approach for localized gastrointestinal malignancy both in the upper GI tract and for cancer of the large bowel. Adjuvant chemotherapy following curatively resected colorectal cancer, results in a definite survival advantage. The use of chemotherapy in an attempt to downstage inoperable gastric cancer to allow for subsequent radical resection has yielded promising results. Likewise improved survival rate in patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy after resection, justify further exploration of perioperative chemotherapy in operable gastric cancer. In squamous oesophageal cancer, modem chemo-radiation regimens are superior to radiotherapy alone in localized disease. Some series demonstrate impressive survival rates in the absence of surgical intervention raising the question as to the precise role of surgery in a combined modality approach. Ongoing randomized trials will clarify the relative contributions of these treatment modalities in the management of this disease. In metastatic disease of both upper GI and colonic tumours maintenance of good quality of life should be the primary endpoint. Randomised trials of chemotherapy against best supportive care have provided strong justification for the use of chemotherapy in the management of advanced gastric, pancreatic and colorectal cancer.