Radiochemotherapy

Gastroesophageal cancers (including oesophageal, gastric and gastroesophageal junction lesions) are worldwide a leading cause of death being relatively rare but highly aggressive. Frequency of the distal stomach cancer decreased, while the incidence of cancer of the cardia and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) has been rapidly rising.The GEJ anatomically separates the lower oesophagus from the proximal part of the stomach, in the area where the squamous epithelium of oesophagus changes into the columnar epithelium of gastric cardia . In developed countries, the incidence of gastric cancer originating from the cardia follows the distribution of oesophageal cancer, suggesting similar behaviours. Adenocarcinomas of the GEJ represent around 90% of all the GEJ cancers. In general adenocarcinomas are considered at lower level of radiosensitivity than squamous cell carcinomas, but there are still no clear evidences on this issue for the specific subset of GEJ tumours. In general, caucasian, male and over 40 years old patients (pts) are the most affected subgroup. The predominant risk factors are:gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett’s oesophagus and obesity, followed by tobacco and alcohol abuse.

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Last date updated on April, 2024