Xiaoxin Chen: funding remains the greatest challenge to research due to constant improvement of technologies

It is estimated that, in 2018, over 17,000 new cases of esophageal cancer will be diagnosed in the United States with over 15,000 deaths relating to this deadly cancer. Even though it only makes up about 1% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States, it is a worldwide issue that many other regions like Iran, India, northern China, and southern Africa are concurrently facing (1). In recent years, targeted therapy has worked its way up to control the growth, division and spread of cancer cells. More and more funding has been allocated to research that seek to manage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by a diversity of international funding organizations.