ESOPHAGEAL cancer is a malignant disease formed within the tissues of one’s esophagus.
The esophagus is a hollow tube that moves food and liquid from mouth to stomach.
What are esophageal cancer symptoms?
Some of the main symptoms of esophageal cancer are weight loss and difficulty swallowing.
An extended list of possible symptoms include:
- Pain behind the breastbone
- A hoarse cough
- Indigestion and heartburn
- A lump under the skin
What causes esophageal cancer?
Tobacco and alcohol use can increase one’s chances of esophageal cancer.
A condition known as Barrett esophagus – the changing of the cells within the lower part of an esophagus often caused by gastric reflux – can also lead to developing symptoms.
What are the most common forms of esophageal cancer?
There are two commons forms of esophageal cancer: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma forms in the flat cells lining the inside of an esophagus, and is often found in the upper part of the muscular tube.
On the other hand, adenocarcinoma typically forms in the lower part of the esophagus near the stomach.
Adenocarcinoma is cancer of the glandular cells, which line the esophagus and produce fluids.
How is esophageal cancer treated?
There are a multitude of ways doctors go around esophageal cancer treatment, including:
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Chemoradiation therapy
- Laser therapy
- Electrocoagulation
- Immunotherapy
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Depending on where the tumor(s) are located, the most common way to treat esophageal cancer is with surgery.
Different stages of the cancer may require different treatments, depending on the severity and aggressiveness of the disease.
