Toward Targeted Therapies in Oesophageal Cancers: An Overview

Abstract

Oesophageal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Oesophageal cancer occurs as squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) or adenocarcinoma (EAC). Prognosis for patients with either ESCC or EAC is poor, with less than 20% of patients surviving more than 5 years after diagnosis. A major progress has been made in the development of biomarker-driven targeted therapies against breast and lung cancers, as well as melanoma. However, precision oncology for patients with oesophageal cancer is still virtually non-existent. In this review, we outline the recent advances in oesophageal cancer profiling and clinical trials based on targeted therapies in this disease.