[Esophagus carcinoma: radical concepts]

Esophageal cancer is one of the most malignant tumors in man. A better understanding of the biology of esophageal cancer as well as surgical technical advances have significantly improved the treatment of esophageal cancer patients. A careful risk analysis is crucial for a reduced postoperative mortality and anastomotic failure rate and neoadjuvant therapy facilitates down staging of tumours, thus aiding in high resectability rates with significantly improved long term survival in patients with esophageal cancer.