Treatment of Stage IV Esophageal Cancer

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment of stage IV esophageal squamous cell carcinoma or stage IV esophageal adenocarcinoma may include the following:

• Chemoradiation therapy followed by surgery.
• Chemotherapy.
• Adjuvant therapy given after chemoradiation therapy for patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, or gastroesophageal junction cancer.
• Immunotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy for patients with previously untreated, unresectable, advanced, or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
• Immunotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy for patients with previously untreated, unresectable, advanced or metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma or gastroesophageal junction cancer.
• Immunotherapy for patients with cancer that recurs after one type of therapy.
• Nivolumab and chemotherapy for patients with adenocarcinoma.
• Laser therapy or electrocoagulation as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
• An esophageal stent as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
• Radiation therapy with or without intraluminal intubation and dilation.
• Esophageal brachytherapy, which delivers a high dose of radiation therapy to the tumor while limiting the dose to nearby organs, as palliative therapy for dysphagia.
• Clinical trials of chemotherapy with one or more drugs.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.