Staging of cancer of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction

Abstract

Eighth edition staging of esophageal and esophagogastric epithelial cancers defines separate classifications for the clinical (cTNM), pathologic (pTNM), and postneoadjuvant pathologic (ypTNM) stage groups, which are no longer shared among classifications. For pTNM, pT1 has been subcategorized as pT1a and pT1b for the subgrouping pStage I adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. A new, simplified esophagus-specific regional lymph node map has been introduced. Undifferentiated histologic grade (G4) has been eliminated; additional analysis is required to expose histopathologic cell type. Location has been removed as a category for pT2N0M0 squamous cell cancer. The definition of the esophagogastric junction has been revised. ypTNM stage groups are identical for both histopathologic cell types, unlike those for cTNM and pTNM.