Maria Alsina, HUN oncologist and Navarrabiomed researcher, coordinates the new national clinical guideline for esophageal cancer care
- The publication compiles the current reference protocols available to support a more personalized and precise clinical management of the disease.
Esophageal cancer is a malignancy arising from the cells lining the inner mucosal surface of the esophagus, the part of the digestive tract that connects the throat to the stomach. It is considered an aggressive disease and ranks as the seventh leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Maria Alsina, Medical Oncologist at Navarra University Hospital (HUN) and Principal Investigator of the Translational Medical Oncology Unit at Navarrabiomed, specializing in the treatment of patients with esophagogastric cancers, has led the publication of the “SEOM-GEMCAD-TTD Clinical Guidelines for Esophageal Cancer 2025” in the international open-access journal Clinical and Translational Oncology.
The publication updates the clinical care protocols for the management of esophageal cancer in Spain and serves as a reference guideline for medical oncologists across Spanish hospitals. It provides a comprehensive summary of the current scientific evidence regarding the diagnosis and therapeutic options available for this type of cancer.
Esophageal cancer is a highly lethal disease that requires a multidisciplinary approach. The guideline includes the latest developments in chemotherapy treatment for patients eligible for surgery, as well as the incorporation of targeted therapies, including immunotherapy, in more advanced stages of the disease. “The introduction of these changes has had a positive impact, improving survival outcomes for patients with esophageal cancer,” says Maria Alsina.
The guideline was developed under the leadership of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), in collaboration with the Digestive Tumor Treatment Group (TTD) and the Spanish Multidisciplinary Group for Digestive Cancer (GEMCAD). Co-led by Dr. Maria Alsina and Dr. Ana Fernández-Montes from the University Hospital Complex of Ourense, the guideline also involved specialists from several leading Spanish healthcare institutions, including:
• Regional University Hospital of Málaga
• La Paz University Hospital
• Virgen de la Salud Hospital
• Elche General University Hospital
• 12 de Octubre University Hospital
• Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital
