Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and General Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace, and University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

Correspondence: John Dent, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and General Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000, Adelaide, Australia.

Received 23 November 2005; Accepted 23 November 2005.

Abstract

Japanese patients with early adenocarcinoma of the esophagus have well-preserved gastric acid secretion, consistent with other parts of the world, reinforcing the likely importance of the luminal environment for pathogenesis. Progress in researching carcinomas that occur around the gastroesophageal junction would be facilitated by consensus-based review of the inadequate approaches currently used for classification of these tumors with subsequent development and widespread adoption of improved criteria.