Adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction: incidence, characteristics, and treatment strategies

Gastric Cancer. 2010 Jun;13(2):63-73. doi: 10.1007/s10120-010-0555-2. Epub 2010 Jul 3.

Abstract

The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) is dramatically increasing in Western countries, while it is not increasing in Eastern countries. Siewert type I tumors are observed less frequently in Eastern countries in comparison to Western countries. On the other hand, other clinicopathological features of AEG, including age, male-to-female ratio, pathological grade, tumor progression, and prognosis, are similar in Western and Eastern countries. Two surgical phase III trials have indicated that AEG type I should be treated surgically as esophageal cancer, while types II and III should be regarded as true gastric cancer. No phase III trials have demonstrated a significant interaction comparing hazard ratios for death between AEG and true gastric cancer in the subset analyses with regard to chemotherapy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / epidemiology
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adenocarcinoma / therapy*
  • Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Esophagogastric Junction / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Prognosis
  • Stomach Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology
  • Stomach Neoplasms / therapy*