Esophageal Cancer

Esophagus is an empty tube that carries food and liquids from the throat to the abdomen. This is the disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the esophagus (the 10-inch long tube that connects your throat and stomach). Esophageal cancer is a serious form of cancer that forms in tissues lining the esophagus. If untreated in early stage then it grows through the wall of the esophagus, and can proliferate to other parts of the body through the blood or the lymphatic system. Esophageal cancer is categorized into two major types, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, depending on the type of cells that are malignant or cancerous. Squamous cell carcinomas usually occur in the upper and middle division of the esophagus; whereas adenocarcinomas generally develop in the glandular tissue in the lower part of the esophagus. The treatment for both types of esophageal cancer is similar.

The causes that may increase the risk of esophageal cancer are- use of alcohol and tobacco, long term irritation, eating a diet low in fruits and vegetables, more common in men than in women. The common threatening symptoms of esophageal cancer are- difficult or painful swallowing, severe weight loss, pain in the throat or back, hoarseness or chronic cough, vomiting, coughing up blood.

The curative process of esophageal cancer depends on the form, location and stage of the disease as well as on age, overall fitness and personal preferences of the patient. A common treatment for esophageal cancer is surgery. But sometimes various combinations of surgery like- chemotherapy along with radiation therapy can be more effective than any single treatment because first and foremost, the goal of treatment is to eliminate the cancer completely. Initially surgeon diagnoses the disease with the help of oncologist. During surgery surgeon usually removes the tumor along with all or a part of the esophagus, nearby lymph nodes, and other tissue in the area. This process is called is called an esophagectomy.

Chemotherapy is another option of medication by using drugs to kill cancerous cells in esophageal cancer. The treatment through chemotherapy does help in several ways. It reduces the size of tumor or shrinks the tumor, in combination with radiation therapy when surgery isn't an option, or to relieve symptoms in advanced cases of esophageal cancer. Some chemotherapy drugs can make the radiation treatments more effectual, but probability of side effects is there. However patient can get a very satisfactory cure after the treatment and achieve a healthy life.