A significant proportion of patients with distal oesophageal or gastric carcinomas presents in an advanced disease stage resulting in poor overall survival.23,24 A first trial with anti-HER2 therapy in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma showed clinical benefit, and with other ongoing trials in advanced gastric and oesophageal adenocarcinomas, reliable HER2 status assessment in both oesophageal and gastric adenocarcinomas is likely to become increasingly important. This evidence concerns the gene ERBB2 and esophageal adenocarcinoma.