The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) has released new clinical practice guidelines for treating cancer of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction.
The guidelines, published in Annals of Thoracic Surgery (November 2014, Vol. 98:5, pp. 1880-1885), include nine evidence-based recommendations that address issues related to multimodality care, including neoadjuvant therapy (chemotherapy and radiation therapy given before surgery). The goal of neoadjuvant therapy is to reduce the extent of cancer before surgery to maximize the chance of obtaining a cure.
"Despite the widespread enthusiasm for multimodality therapy and the myriad of its aspects, currently available data for each component of care are not truly definitive," stated Guideline Task Force Chair Alex G. Little, MD, from the University of Arizona, Tucson, in a press release. "The recommendations included in our document are guidelines, not mandates, but we feel they identify best current practices."
The guidelines are intended to assist physicians and other healthcare providers in clinical decision-making by describing a range of generally acceptable approaches for the diagnosis, management, or prevention of specific diseases or conditions. Before publication, each guideline underwent an intense peer-review process, which provided critical, unbiased scientific assessment of the document and helped identify future areas of investigation.
"Understanding that technology continues to advance and even biological behavior can be modified, patient care decisions should be made by a multispecialty group with input from all relevant specialists," Dr. Little said.
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