Esophageal Cancer
The esophagus is a muscular tube that carries food and liquid from the mouth through the throat to the stomach. Cancer of the esophagus, called esophageal cancer, starts in the tissue that makes up the lining of the inner layer of the esophagus.
About Esophageal Cancer
There are two major types of cancers that start in the esophagus:
- Squamous cell carcinoma: This cancer develops in the cells that line the top layer of the esophagus. It is usually found in the upper and middle part of the organ.
- Adenocarcinomas: This form of esophageal cancer starts in the glandular tissue in the lower part of the esophagus. It is the most common type of esophageal cancer in the U.S.
Esophageal cancer that spreads often invades nearby lymph nodes and may spread to other parts of the body.
Who’s at Risk?
Esophageal cancer is most likely to occur in people over age 60. It is also much more common in men. In the U.S., approximately 13,000 men and 3,500 women are diagnosed with the disease each year.
Risk Factors
The following risk factors have been found to increase the chance of developing esophageal cancer:
- Tobacco use: Smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco.
- Drinking alcohol: Three or more drinks a day. Heavy drinking combined with smoking puts you at an even higher risk.
- Irritation of the esophagus: Long-term irritation caused by acid reflux can cause a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett esophagus.
- Diet and weight: Diets low in fruit and vegetables. Overweight people are also at a higher risk.
Treatment
The most common treatment for esophageal cancer is surgery to remove small tumors in early stages or part of the esophagus. More advanced cancers may require an esophagectomy, the surgical removal of the entire esophagus and nearby lymph nodes and surrounding tissue.
If part of the esophagus is removed, the remaining part of the esophagus is reconnected to the stomach. If the entire esophagus is removed, a tube similar to a human esophagus will be used to connect the throat to the stomach.
Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may also be part of the treatment plan.
Some information on this page is provided by the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.