Contents

Search


gastroesophageal junction cancer/adenocarcinoma

Pathology: - 30-40% of cancers potentially resectable upon presentation - recurrence rates high - cure rates low Laboratory: - HER2 copy number - HER2 amplification in 25% of meatastatic cancers [1] - favorable response trastuzumab Special laboratory: - upper GI endoscopy & biopsy establishes diagnosis [1] - mass in the gastric cardia - endoscopic ultrasound to assess tumor depth & involvement of lymph nodes Radiology: - CT of chest, abdomen & pelvis (1st test with biopsy pending) [5] - PET scan is option after CT [5] - PET/CT widely used for preoperative staging [1] Differential diagnosis: - gastric cancer - esophageal cancer Management: - neoadjuvant chemotherapy + radiation therapy prior to surgery - adjuvant nivolumab improves disease-free survival [3] - adding trastuzumab for tumors with HER2 overexpression may provide a modest survival benefit [1] - elderly: no survival benefit from full-dose vs reduced-dose chemotherapy [4]

Related

esophageal cancer gastric cancer

General

gastrointestinal (GI) cancer

References

  1. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 18, 19. American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2018, 2019.
  2. van Hagen P, Hulshof MC, van Lanschot JJ et al for the CROSS Group. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy for esophageal or junctional cancer. N Engl J Med. 2012 May 31;366(22):2074-84. PMID: 22646630 Free Article
  3. Kelly RJ, Ajani JA, Kuzdzal J et al Adjuvant Nivolumab in Resected Esophageal or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer. N Engl J Med 2021; 384:1191-1203. April 1. PMID: 33789008 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032125
  4. Hall PS, Swinson D, Cairns DA et al. Efficacy of reduced-intensity chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and capecitabine on quality of life and cancer control among older and frail patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancer: The GO2 phase 3 randomized clinical trial. JAMA Oncol 2021 Jun 1; 7:869. PMID: 33983395 PMCID: PMC8120440 Free PMC article
  5. NEJM Knowledge+ Gastroenterology