The esophagus is a hollow, muscular tube that carries food and liquids to the stomach. This cancer develops when the cells that cover it begin to grow and divide abnormally, forming a tumor. It is a less common type of cancer compared to others, however, subtypes such as adenocarcinoma have been increasing in incidence in recent years.

 

Symptoms for esophagus cancer

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-Difficulty passing food.

-Chest pain or discomfort.

-Weight loss and lack of appetite.

-Hoarseness.

-Persistent cough.

-Hiccup.

-Pneumonia.

- Digestive tract bleeding.

 

Having these symptoms does not mean that you have esophageal cancer, however it is necessary that you be checked by a specialist in case you present any of the discomforts previously described.

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Types of esophagus cancer

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Adenocarcinoma is the most common in developed countries, and it comes from the glands in the lining of the esophagus in its lower third. It is related to a condition called "Barrett's esophagus", which is secondary to smoking, overweight and mainly gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is thought that as stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, changes occur in these glands that predispose to esophageal cancer.

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The other type of esophageal cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. This type of cancer develops from different cells that also line the esophagus and is related to excessive consumption of alcohol and tobacco.

 

Risk factors for esophagus cancer

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-Over fifty years.

-Men are at higher risk than women.

-Use of tobacco and alcohol in excess.

-Obesity and overweight.

-History of accidental ingestion of caustic soda.

-Vitamin deficiencies (beta-carotene, vitamin E, selenium or iron).

-Other diseases such as: human papillomavirus infection in the oral cavity, achalasia, tylosis, esophageal bands.

-Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

 

Diagnosis for esophagus

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A series of studies are usually carried out prior to the complete characterization of this type of tumor. Initially, a panendoscopy is performed, which is a study in which a camera is inserted into the digestive tract and advanced along the esophagus to visualize abnormalities. If a tumor is found, a biopsy is performed, which is a sample of a small part of the tumor (where it is abnormal) to be examined by a specialist under a microscope.

Once the diagnosis of esophageal cancer is confirmed, studies are carried out to determine if the cancer has not "spread" to other organs. To achieve this, various diagnostic tests can be used such as: computed tomography, PET-CT, endoscopic ultrasound, and even bronchoscopy.

 

Stages of esophagus cancer

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Stage I- Cancer is in the inner layers of the esophagus.

Stage II- The cancer has spread to the outermost layers of the esophagus and may have gone to the lymph nodes.

Stage III- The cancer has gone beyond the esophagus and has invaded nearby tissues and has also gone to the lymph nodes.

Stage IV- The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

 

Treatment for esophagus cancer

 

Esophageal cancer is usually best managed with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Since most of the time these types of tumors are diagnosed in locally advanced stages, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are usually given before surgery is planned.

 

Whether surgery is curative depends on: whether the cancer is adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, the size of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread to other organs, and your general health.

 

The surgery performed in these cases is called "esophagectomy" and consists of removing the esophagus in its portion affected by the tumor with a margin of healthy tissue, and creating a "new esophagus" with the stomach to join it to the rest of the digestive tract. . Lymph nodes are also removed.