The rationale and evidence for radiotherapy in the management of gastroesophageal junction tumors.

Adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (GE-junction) is a frequent disease with a rising incidence. The optimal treatment of localized disease is the subject of many randomized trials and meta-analyses studying the role of preoperative chemotherapy or preoperative chemoradiation compared with surgery alone. A complicating factor in interpreting the results of these trials is the fact that GE-junction tumors are sometimes regarded as esophageal tumors, although in other studies they are regarded as gastric cancers. A thorough review of the literature including meta-analyses clearly indicates that there is a role for preoperative chemoradiation in locally advanced GE-junction tumors. Based on the available evidence a surgery alone arm in future randomized trials for locally advanced GE junction tumors can no longer be regarded as a standard arm.