ABSTRACT
Esophageal cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer death and remains a global health challenge. Squamous cell carcinoma is the predominant subtype in Asia, Africa, and South America, whilst adenocarcinoma is the most common subtype in the Western world. This chapter outlines the different epidemiology and aetiology for these two major subtypes, discusses the use of screening in high-risk patients, provides the latest TNM eighth edition of staging in esophageal cancer, and describes the role of different imaging modalities in the staging and restaging of esophageal cancer and in the detection of tumour recurrence. The current treatment options are also presented, with a review of the latest guidelines on the use of endoscopic treatment for dysplasia and early cancers, and a discussion on the role of multimodality therapy (including emerging targeted molecular therapy) for more advanced esophageal cancers.
