Background: Treatments for oesophageal cancers have historically been surgical, and surgical treatment remains the mainstay of treatment for localised oesophageal carcinoma (stage I-III). For stage IV disease, systemic chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment.
Objective: This article provides an overview of curative and palliative management options for oesophageal carcinoma. Surgery, endoscopic treatments, and chemotherapy, radiotherapy and combined modality chemoradiation are considered.
Discussion: Several surgical approaches are available and each has its positive and negative aspects. Recent advances in chemotherapy and radiotherapy have aided the surgeon's work either by down staging tumours and rendering inoperable cases amenable to surgery. These adjuvant treatments also benefit the patient by reducing the risk of mediastinal and distant metastases.