DESCRIPTION
Esophageal
cancer is cancer that occurs in the esophagus — a
long, hollow tube that runs from your throat to your stomach.
Your esophagus helps move the food you swallow from the back of your throat to your stomach to be digested.
Esophageal cancer usually begins in the cells that line the inside of the esophagus.
Esophageal cancer can occur anywhere along the esophagus.
More men than women get esophageal cancer.
Your esophagus helps move the food you swallow from the back of your throat to your stomach to be digested.
Esophageal cancer usually begins in the cells that line the inside of the esophagus.
Esophageal cancer can occur anywhere along the esophagus.
More men than women get esophageal cancer.
CAUSES
It’s
not exactly esophageal ca
clear
what causes cancer.
Esophageal
cancer occurs when cells in your esophagus develop errors (mutations) in their
DNA.
The errors make cells grow and divide out of control. The accumulating abnormal cells form a tumor in the esophagus that can grow to invade nearby structures and spread to other parts of the body.
The errors make cells grow and divide out of control. The accumulating abnormal cells form a tumor in the esophagus that can grow to invade nearby structures and spread to other parts of the body.
SYMPTOMS
Signs
and symptoms of esophageal cancer
include:
• Difficulty swallowing
(dysphagia) oss wi
•Chest pain, pressure or burning
•Worsening indigestion or heartburn
•Chest pain, pressure or burning
•Worsening indigestion or heartburn
•Coughing or hoarseness
Early esophageal cancer
typically causes no signs or symptoms.
PREVENTION
You can take steps to reduce your risk of esophageal cancer.
For instance:
Quit smoking.
If you smoke, talk to your doctor about
You can take steps to reduce your risk of esophageal cancer.
For instance:
Quit smoking.
If you smoke, talk to your doctor about
strategies for quitting.
Medications and
counseling are available
to help you quit. If you don’t use tobacco, don’t start.
• Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.
• Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.
• Eat more fruits and
vegetables.
Add a variety of colorful fruits and
vegetables to your diet.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
If you are overweight or obese, talk to your doctor about strategies to help you lose
weight.
Aim for a slow and steady weight loss of 1 or 2 pounds a week.
Add a variety of colorful fruits and
vegetables to your diet.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
If you are overweight or obese, talk to your doctor about strategies to help you lose
weight.
Aim for a slow and steady weight loss of 1 or 2 pounds a week.
TREATMENT
Surgery
Esophageal cancer surgery
Surgery to remove the cancer can be used alone or in combination with other
treatments.
Operations used to treat esophageal
cancer include:
Surgery to remove very small tumors.
If your cancer is very small, confined to the superficial layers of your esophagus and hasn’t spread, your surgeon may reconnected to your stomach.
Usually this is done by pulling the stomach up to meet the remaining esophagus.
Surgery to remove part of your esophagus and the upper portion of your stomach
(esophagogastrectomy).
During esophagogastrectomy, your
surgeon removes part of your esophagus, nearby lymph nodes and a larger part of your stomach. The remainder of your
stomach is then pulled up and reattached to your esophagus.
If necessary, part of your colon is used to heli ioin the two.
Esophageal cancer surgery
Surgery to remove the cancer can be used alone or in combination with other
treatments.
Operations used to treat esophageal
cancer include:
Surgery to remove very small tumors.
If your cancer is very small, confined to the superficial layers of your esophagus and hasn’t spread, your surgeon may reconnected to your stomach.
Usually this is done by pulling the stomach up to meet the remaining esophagus.
Surgery to remove part of your esophagus and the upper portion of your stomach
(esophagogastrectomy).
During esophagogastrectomy, your
surgeon removes part of your esophagus, nearby lymph nodes and a larger part of your stomach. The remainder of your
stomach is then pulled up and reattached to your esophagus.
If necessary, part of your colon is used to heli ioin the two.
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