Considerations of treatment standardization from the procession of NCCN guideline of esophageal cancer

Abstract

Esophageal carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumors, especially in China which is the high incidence area. As a result of mild symptoms of early-stage esophageal cancer, the majority of patients cannot be diagnosed until they develop to advanced cancer, and the treatment outcome of surgery or chemoradiotherapy is still unsatisfactory at present. The guidelines of esophageal cancer issued by National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) are regarded as important reference tools by clinical oncologists, and provide uniform criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal carcinoma. However, the guidelines are not always suitable for Chinese patients because the data come from European and American population which have significant ethnical difference from Chinese. We retrospectively analyzed the changes of treatment strategy of esophageal cancer in NCCN guidelines and the advance of treatment for esophageal carcinoma in China, aiming to provide our oncologists with new research ideas. We also hope to set up clinical cancer cooperation organizations, and release our own cancer guidelines to serve Chinese patients and oncologists.