# German guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of squamous-cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus—version 4.0

## TL;DR

This paper presents updated German guidelines for diagnosing and treating esophageal cancers, covering various aspects like diagnosis, therapy, and patient care.

## Contribution

The paper provides the latest evidence-based guidelines for managing esophageal squamous-cell and adenocarcinoma in Germany.

## Key findings

- The guidelines include recommendations graded through a formal consensus process.
- They cover diagnosis, pathology, nutritional care, curative and palliative therapy, and psycho-oncology.
- Interdisciplinary approaches for curative therapy are emphasized.

## Abstract

This guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of squamous-cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus was developed and managed by the German Guideline Program in Oncology (GGPO) of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF), German Cancer Society (DKG), and German Cancer Aid (DKH). The guideline commission comprised multidisciplinary experts from various professional associations and organizations involved in the management of esophageal cancer, as well as a patient representative. Quality of the evidence is presented using Oxford evidence-based medicine system, and recommendations were graded in a formal consensus process using a recommendation grading scheme.

•This is the latest release of the evidence-based German guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancers.•The guidelines cover diagnosis, pathology, nutritional care, curative and palliative therapy, and psycho-oncology.•Interdisciplinary approaches for curative therapy are discussed.

This is the latest release of the evidence-based German guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancers.

The guidelines cover diagnosis, pathology, nutritional care, curative and palliative therapy, and psycho-oncology.

Interdisciplinary approaches for curative therapy are discussed.