About the group

The group focuses on interdisciplinary research within the field of diseases of esophagus and stomach. A large biobank of samples from cancer in esophagus and stomach is established in cooperation with the Section for molecular oncology (Prof. Guro Lund).

Projects and Research

  • Establishment of a national database and biobank for patients resected for esophageal cancer as part of the NORECa project (Norwegian Esophageal Expert Consortium).
  • Monitoring complications/survival after resection for esophageal- and gastric cancer – local registry.
  • Monitoring introduction and use of robotic assisted gastroesophageal resections. Collaboration with international registries.
  • Continuous local biobanking (blood/tumor tissue) for esophageal cancer, ongoing analyses of sample quality and research projects.
  • Studies on esophageal cancer on biomarkers /local treatment of dysplasia and early cancer.
  • NEEDS study. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus versus definitive chemoradiotherapy with salvage surgery as needed. Multicenter randomised controlled trial studythat started in 2021.
  • The upper GI International Robotic Association (UGIRA) - International Registry for Robot-Assisted Minimally Gastrectomy and Esophagectomy (RAMIG and RAMIE) for cancer.
  • kiNETiC study – a Scandinavian Randomized Controlled Trial- Ng-tube post–EsophagecTomy.
  • Nordic NEC registry (neuroendocrine carcinoma of the GI-tract (GEP-NEC)) (NNTG).
  • SARONG-II trial: randomized controlled trial investigating intense vs standard or more limited follow up. Primary endpoint overall survival.
  • Observational study on the use of gastropexy for patients with paraesophageal hernias.
  • Studies in pipeline include several randomized controlled trials:
  1. IPa Gastric (intraperitoneal chemotherapy + standard chemotherapy vs standard systemic chemotherapy only with carcinomatosis for gastric cancer) with primary end point overall survival.
  2. OMEC-5 trial: short versus prolonged chemotherapy prior to surgery for gastroesophageal cancer with oligo (limited) metastatic disease with primary end point progression free survival.
  3. BALANCE trial (epidural vs paravertebral block for analgesia post esophagectomy) with primary end point anastomotic leak.
  4. JEDI study is a planned observational study of functional outcome of the gastric conduit post esophagectomy.

PhD projects

Ingrid Vikan Sjurgard: “Molecular- and immuno-profiling of esophageal adenocarcinoma”.

Cooperation

Internal

  • Truls Hauge and colleagues at Dep. Gastroenterology, OUS, Ullevål
  • Geir Olav Hjortland and colleagues at the Dep. Oncology, OUS, Ullevål
  • Guro E. Lind and colleagues at Dep. of Molecular Oncology, Institute of Cancer Research, OUS, DNR.  
  • Colleagues at the university clinics in Tromsø, Trondheim and Bergen

International

  • Magnus Nilsson and colleagues at the Dep. Upper GI surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden
  • Jacob Hedberg, Dep. Surgical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
  • C. de Jongh, University Medical Center, Utrecht, Netherlands

Selected Publications

  • Saeed U, Myklebust TÅ, Robsahm TE, Aune D, Møller B, Skålhegg BS, Yaqub S, Mala T. Associations between body mass index and gastroesophageal cancer incidence and mortality: novel insights from a nationwide registry-based cohort study. Dis Esophagus. 2025 Mar 3;38(2):doaf018.
  • Hauge T, Johnson E, Fasting M, Førland D, Skagemo C, Mala T. From conventional minimally invasive to robotic-assisted Ivor Lewis esophagectomy - A Nordic single-center retrospective study. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2025 Sep 3;51(11):110417
  • Hedberg J, Kauppila J, Aahlin EK, Edholm D, Johnsen G, Johansson J, Lagergren P, Lindblad M, Lindberg F, Helminen O, Löfdahl P, Førland DT, Vikhammer M, de Heer P, Sundbom M, Szabo E, Åkesson O, Nilsson M, Nilsson A, Achiam M, Mala T. Nasogastric tube after oesophagectomy and risk of anastomotic leak: a Nordic, multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial. Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2025 Jul 31;57:101411.
  • Ericson J, Klevebro F, Sunde B, Szabo E, Halldestam I, Smedh U, Wallner B, Johansson J, Johnsen G, Aahlin EK, Johannessen HO, Hjortland GO, Lorentzen SS, Slott M, Schröder W, Rouvelas I, Nilsson M. Nutritional outcomes and impact of malnutrition in a randomised comparison between standard and prolonged time to surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for oesophageal cancer. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2025 Sep;51(9):110228.
  • Sorbye H, Hjortland GO, Vestermark LW, Ladekarl M, Svensson J, Sundlöv A, Janson ET, Garresori H, Hofsli E, Kersten C, Elvebakken H, Pfeiffer P, Morken S, Assmus J, Lothe IMB, Tabaksblat E, Knigge U, Couvelard A, Perren A, Langer SW. Characteristics and treatment outcome in a prospective cohort of 639 advanced high-grade digestive neuroendocrine neoplasms (NET G3 and NEC). The NORDIC NEC 2 study. Br J Cancer. 2025 Aug;133(3):316-324.
  • Kolstad A, Emanuel G, Hjortland GO, Nilssen Y, Ulvestad M, Areffard A, Aahlin EK. Long-term trends in the clinical management and outcomes of patients with astroesophageal cancer in Norway. Acta Oncol. 2025 Apr 15;64:540-549.
  • Lordick F, Mauer ME, Stocker G, Cella CA, Ben-Aharon I, Piessen G, Wyrwicz L, Al-Haidari G, Fleitas-Kanonnikoff T, Boige V, Lordick Obermannová R, Martens UM, Gomez-Martin C, Thuss-Patience P, Arrazubi V, Avallone A, Shiu KK, Artru P, Brenner B, Buges Sanchez C, Chau I, Lorenzen S, Daum S, Sinn M, Merelli B, van Grieken NCT, Nilsson M, Collienne M, Giraut A, Smyth E. Adjuvant immunotherapy in patients with resected gastric and oesophagogastric junction cancer following preoperative chemotherapy with high risk for recurrence (ypN+ and/or R1): European Organisation of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 1707 VESTIGE study. Ann Oncol. 2025 Feb;36(2):197-207.
  • Hauge T, Abu Hejleh A, Aiolfi A, et al. Treatment strategies for Boerhaave syndrome: multinational retrospective cohort study. Br J Surg. 2025 Nov 29;112(12):znaf260.
  • Pinto R, Sjurgard IV, Pharo H, Mala T, Vedeld HM, Lind GE. Molecular stratification of esophageal adenocarcinoma: implications for prognosis and treatment strategy. Oncogene. 2025 Dec 8.