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Comprehensive Care & Treatment For Esophageal Cancer in Salem.
What is Esophageal Cancer?
Esophageal cancer occurs when cancer cells develop in the esophagus, a tube-like structure that runs from your throat to your stomach. The cancer starts at the inner layer of the esophagus and can spread throughout the other layers of the esophagus and to other parts of the body (metastasis).
Symptoms
- Unintentional weight loss
- Indigestion
- Heartburn
- Pain or difficulty when swallowing
- Frequent choking while eating
- Vomiting
- Food coming back up the esophagus
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Chronic cough
- Hiccups
Risk
- Consuming alcohol
- Smoking
- Having a reflux disorder, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Being overweight
- Having achalasia, a condition where the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus doesn’t relax properly
Types
- Squamous cell carcinoma occurs when cancer starts in the flat, thin cells that make up the lining of the esophagus. This form most often appears in the top or middle of the esophagus, but it can appear anywhere
- Adenocarcinoma occurs when cancer starts in the glandular cells of the esophagus that are responsible for the production of fluids such as mucus. It is most common in the lower portion of the esophagus
Stages
Stage I:
The tumor is small (7 cm or less across) and limited to the esophagus.
Stage II:
The tumor has grown larger but still remains within the esophagus.Stage III:
The tumor has grown beyond the esophagus and may now extend into nearby tissues or organs. The cancer may or may not have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IV:
The tumor may be any size and has grown beyond the esophagus. The disease may have spread to lymph nodes or distant sites like the liver or abdominal cavity.
Diagnosis
- Endoscopy
- Barium swallow
- Biopsy
- CT scan
- PET scan
Treatment
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Surgery