A rare type of cancer that is found in the esophagus is known as esophageal cancer. Normally the tumor begins in the moist inner lining known as the mucosa. Imaging tests is the initial step for the diagnosis of esophageal cancer to analyze or study the gullet. A svelte, flexible tube having a camera can be passed down the throat to look into the food pipe.

In the United States nearly 17,690 men and 4,680 women are treated for this condition each year. This makes it so rare that only 1 % of total cancer cases account for this condition.

Types of Esophagus Cancer

Mainly two types of this cancer are known:

Squamous cell carcinoma:

Develops in the esophageal lining and is mostly confined to the upper parts of esophagus close to the throat.

Adenocarcinoma:

Evolves in the tissue that makes up the mucus. The lower part of the food pipe is adversely affected in such a case.

What Causes Esophagus Cancer?

Severe irritation and redness of the epithelium is the main risk for an invitation to this condition. This can be due to:

Binge drinking or heavy drinking.
Smoking is a major cause for this ill-health.
Chronic acid reflux finally leads to Barrett’s esophagus.
Obesity: -The risk increases by 1.5 to 2.5 times.
Unhealthy and poor Diet:- Low fruit and vegetable intake, regular consumption of processed meat also increases this ill-health.
Lack of Physical Activity:- Physical exercises may cut down the risk of getting this type of cancer.
Age related:- As one ages the risk also increases and especially people who are 60 years and above are more susceptible to this cancer.
History of the family:- Blood relatives having esophageal cancer.
Sex:- Men are more prone to esophageal cancer.

Esophagus Cancer and its Symptoms

Problems in swallowing are the initial symptoms that many people notice. Other symptoms include:

Severe or unbearable pain in the chest or back.
Coughing or hoarseness.
Feeling of weakness or tiredness.
Weight Loss which may be unaccountable.
Food that gets stuck in the throat or chest.
Abdominal pain or feeling uncomfortable.
Passing of black stools and vomiting blood.
Diarrhea or constipation.
Cough that may be prolonged and not getting better soon.
Vomiting or feeling of nausea.
Indigestion or bloating.

Risk factors

Prolonged irritation and inflammation of the esophageal lining are crucial and can result from:

Barrett’s esophagus due to stomach acid change.
A swallowing disorder, achalasia.
Plummer-Vinson syndrome causes unusual growth in the throat that affects the swallowing.

Esophagus Cancer and its Procedure

Diagnosis:

A thorough evaluation is carried out initially to confirm the presence of esophageal cancer and determine its stage.

A biopsy and imaging tests, such as CT, PET, and endoscopic ultrasound are carried out.

Consultation with different doctors:

Surgeons, radiation oncologists, and their team cooperate with each other to develop a personalized treatment plan that best suits the patient.

Surgery:

Surgical resection may be recommended to remove the tumor and surrounding tissues.

This may involve a number of procedures, such as an esophageal excision, which may be done:

openly or
using minimally invasive techniques.
Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy drugs may be administered prior to or following surgery in order to reduce the probability of recurrence or get rid of cancer cells.

Radiation therapy:

Radiation therapy can be used unaccompanied or in accumulation with chemotherapy to specifically target and destroy cancer cells in cases when surgery is impractical or to improve surgical outcomes.

Targeted therapy:

This type of treatment makes use of drugs or related medicines to target specific elements in tumor cells. When the specific elements are blocked, this treatment results in the killing of the cancer cell.