The oesophagus is a long, tube-shaped muscular organ that moves food and liquid from your throat to your stomach. Cancer of the oesophagus is when cells in the lining of your oesophagus grow abnormally and begin to form a tumour, which may then spread to other parts of the body.
Most oesophageal cancers develop from the squamous cells that line the upper and middle parts of your oesophagus. These cancers are called squamous cell carcinomas. Other types of oesophageal cancer can form from other cells, such as the cells that produce muscle tissue (adenocarcinoma).
You may have pain or a lump in your oesophagus. This could be caused by a tumor or it might be a sign of another illness. To find out what’s causing your symptoms, your doctor will examine you and ask questions about your health history. They might also do an x-ray of your chest or another type of scan, such as a CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treatment for oesophageal cancer depends on the type and stage of the disease. The first step is to remove the part of the oesophagus with the tumour, which is called a surgical procedure. They may also remove some of the surrounding tissue. This is called a biopsy. You might be offered chemotherapy before or after surgery, or both. Chemotherapy is a drug that treats cancer by stopping it from growing or spreading. Sometimes, radiation therapy is used with chemo to treat esophageal cancer. It can help reduce the size of a tumour or relieve symptoms like coughing up blood.
If your oesophageal cancer is in the early stages and has not spread, you might be able to have treatment without surgery. Treatment might include a combination of chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery. You might also be able to join a clinical trial that tests new treatments for oesophageal cancer.
In general, people with oesophageal cancer who have stage I or II disease are more likely to have good results from treatment. But this will depend on which drugs you receive and how healthy you are, as well as what type of oesophageal cancer you have.
Be sure to tell your doctors if you have any other medical conditions or take any medicines, including vitamins and supplements. This is especially important if you are taking herbal remedies.
