Mechanisms of esophageal cancer metastasis and treatment progress

Abstract

Esophageal cancer is a prevalent tumor of the digestive tract worldwide. The detection rate of early-stage esophageal cancer is very low, and most patients are diagnosed with metastasis. Metastasis of esophageal cancer mainly includes direct diffusion metastasis, hematogenous metastasis, and lymphatic metastasis. This article reviews the metabolic process of esophageal cancer metastasis and the mechanisms by which M2 macrophages, CAF, regulatory T cells, and their released cytokines, including chemokines, interleukins, and growth factors, form an immune barrier to the anti-tumor immune response mediated by CD8+ T cells, impeding their ability to kill tumor cells during tumor immune escape. The effect of Ferroptosis on the metastasis of esophageal cancer is briefly mentioned. Moreover, the paper also summarizes common drugs and research directions in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy for advanced metastatic esophageal cancer. This review aims to serve as a foundation for further investigations into the mechanism and management of esophageal cancer metastasis.

Radiomics diagnostic performance for predicting lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Therefore, imaging methods cannot substitute the conclusive nature of histopathological examination post-surgery [ 7 ]. Histopathological samples are routinely obtained via surgical route, but surgery is no longer the preferred choice for treating metastatic esophageal cancer due to increased risks and poor prognosis, especially in patients with advanced metastases [ 8 ]. Therefore, imaging methods such as endoscopic ultrasound, CT, and 2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-PET for detecting LNM in esophageal cancer are critical since they are less invasive than surgery.…”

Advances in H2O2-supplying materials for tumor therapy: synthesis, classification, mechanisms, and applications

“…The malignant epithelial tumors mainly include squamous carcinoma, 186 adenocarcinoma, 187 basal cell carcinoma, 188 and etc . These types of tumors usually invade and infiltrate the surrounding tissues such as nerves, 189 vessels, 190,191 and lymphatic nodes. 192 Based on these views, the main treatment for epithelial-derived tumors was intraoperative extended resection.…”

Synthesis, Pharmacological Properties, and Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Antitumor Activity of Betulin and Its Derivatives in Gastrointestinal Cancers

“…EC is one of the less common gastrointestinal cancers but is ranked ninth in terms of morbidity [ 106 , 107 ]. In most cases, it is diagnosed at the metastatic stage, resulting in a relatively poor prognosis with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 20% [ 106 , 107 ]. Standard risk factors include alcohol consumption, smoking of tobacco products, and consumption of hot beverages [ 106 ].…”

“…It is also assumed that a higher incidence of EC is observed in people with reflux disease or bacterial infections, mainly Helicobacter pylori [ 106 ]. Treatment of EC is relatively poor and consists of surgical resection, chemotherapy, liquid nitrogen spray cryotherapy, or a combination of these methods [ 106 , 107 ]. In cases of advanced disease, only palliative treatment is used [ 106 ].…”