Early Esophageal Cancer: A Gastroenterologist’s Disease

Traditionally, early esophageal cancer (i.e., cancer limited to the mucosa or superficial submucosa) was managed surgically; the gastroenterologist’s role was primarily to diagnose the tumor. Over the last decade, advances in endoscopic imaging, ablation, and resection techniques have resulted in a paradigm shift—diagnosis, staging, treatment, and surveillance are within the endoscopist’s domain. Yet, there are few reviews that provide a focused, evidence-based approach to early esophageal cancer, and highlight areas of controversy for practicing gastroenterologists. In this manuscript, we will discuss the following: (1) utility of novel endoscopic technologies to identify high-grade dysplasia and early esophageal cancer, (2) role of endoscopic resection and imaging to stage early esophageal cancer, (3) endoscopic therapies for early esophageal cancer, and (4) indications for surgical and multidisciplinary management.