[Pretherapeutic misclassification of esophageal cancer and adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction : Possibilities and clinical consequences].

During the course of a malignant disease, the tumor needs to be classified repeatedly in order to facilitate decision-making in treatment and to estimate patients prognosis; however, a wrong classification of tumors can occur in different stages of the disease course with tremendous consequences for the affected patients. This review discusses the possible misclassifications which can occur in patients with esophageal cancer or adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), along with the consequences.