[Oligometastases in gastric and esophageal cancer : Current clinical trials and surgical concepts].

There is an increasing role of surgery even in metastatic tumor stages. In colorectal cancer patients with limited metastases, complete cytoreduction is able to offer long-term survival in synchronic as well as metachronic situations. In tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract (UGIT), however, the impact of surgery in metastatic disease remains to be clarified. Even though several retrospective studies suggest prolonged survival, surgery is not recommended by the current German S3 guidelines for tumors of the UGIT. Appropriate selection of these particular patients that show less aggressive tumor biology will be the primary goal of preoperative evaluation. The results of the prospective randomized RENAISSANCE/FLOT-5 and GASTRIPEC studies are urgently awaited in order to gain more evidence on the impact of surgery in the management of oligometastases of the UGIT and especially on survival.