Evolution and development of the diagnosis and treatment of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction: from the perspective of a general surgeon

The incidence of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG) is increasing worldwide annually. Surgical resection still plays the most important role in multi-modality therapy for AEG. However, due to the specialities of tumor location and biological features, general surgeons and thoracic surgeons do not reach an agreement on regional lymph-adenectomy, extents of resection, surgical approaches, etc. The development of minimally invasive surgery makes it possible to operate by laparoscopy and thoracoscopy. With the promotion of neoadjuvant therapy, a multidisciplinary team will be essential for optimal diagnosis and treatment in the near future. From the developmental perspective of a general surgeon, the authors summarize current status and controversies of the diagnosis and treatment of AEG, and inspect its research advances.