Esophageal cancer is a highly lethal malignancy that is increasing in incidence, especially the histologic subtype of adenocarcinoma. Fully 50% of patients present with advanced, incurable disease. Of the remainder who are diagnosed at curable stages, at most 30% are long-term survivors. Advances in therapy for both local and advanced disease have been stagnant in the past few decades. As such, there is an urgent need for advances in therapy. The development of modern cytotoxic chemotherapy and in particular, biologically targeted agents, provides hope for improving the outcome in these patients.