State of the art lecture: EUS for esophageal tumors

Introduction

Treatment and outcome of patients with esophageal cancer is stage dependent. Since its introduction in the early 1980 s, EUS has played a central role in the staging of esophageal cancer. Adequate staging of esophageal cancer is important in the initial triage of patients to receive immediate surgery, neoadjuvant therapy or palliative treatment only. Also in patients with early cancer, EUS can be used to evaluate the possibility of endoscopic mucosal resection. EUS remains superior in T- and N-staging of esophageal cancer compared to other imaging modalities such as CT, PET and MRI. New developments will hopefully further improve the staging of early lesions, stenotic lesions and the diagnostics of lymph node metastases. Nowadays many patients are being treated with neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy. EUS could also play a role in the assessment of these therapies and to give direction towards further management.

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