Prognostic factors relating to esophageal cancer.

Prognostic factors for esophageal cancer are difficult to assess because of the lack of standardization and small number of cases over the years. With the increase in number of adenocarcinoma as well as larger amounts of data, there has been a surge in the amount of information regarding this disease. The most significant relationship is between lymph nodes and survival. As the treatment options for esophageal cancer improve the staging of the lymph nodes will become more important in terms of number and ratio. The method of surgical removal is trending toward radical excision, but the prognosis is still poor. With the advent of molecular markers and better chemotherapeutic agents, we will be able to tailor our treatment with respect to the individual tumor.