Esophageal Cancer Treatment by Stage

Treatment of stage 0 may include:

• Surgery
• Endoscopic mucosal resection 

Treatment of stage I esophageal squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma may include:

• Chemoradiation therapy followed by surgery.
• Surgery alone. 

Treatment of stage II esophageal squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma may include:

• Chemoradiation therapy followed by surgery.
• Surgery alone.
• Chemotherapy followed by surgery.
• Chemoradiation therapy alone. 

Treatment of stage III esophageal squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma may include:

• Chemoradiation therapy followed by surgery.
• Chemotherapy followed by surgery.
• Chemoradiation therapy alone. 

Treatment of stage IV esophageal squamous cell carcinoma or stage IV esophageal adenocarcinoma may include:

• Chemoradiation therapy followed by surgery.
• Chemotherapy.
• Adjuvant therapy given after chemoradiation therapy for patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, or gastroesophageal junction cancer.
• Immunotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy for patients with previously untreated, unresectable, advanced, or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
• Immunotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy for patients with previously untreated, unresectable, advanced or metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma or gastroesophageal junction cancer.
• Immunotherapy for patients with cancer that recurs after one type of therapy.
• Nivolumab and chemotherapy for patients with adenocarcinoma.
• Laser therapy or electrocoagulation as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
• An esophageal stent as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
• Radiation therapy with or without intraluminal intubation and dilation.
• Esophageal brachytherapy, which delivers a high dose of radiation therapy to the tumor while limiting the dose to nearby organs, as palliative therapy for dysphagia.
• Clinical trials of chemotherapy with one or more drugs. 

All patients with recurrent esophageal cancer should consider entering a clinical trial as outlined in Esophageal Cancer Treatment.

Treatment of recurrent esophageal cancer may include:

• Use of certain treatments as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
• Immunotherapy (nivolumab) and chemoimmunotherapy for patients with recurrent esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
• Clinical trials.