All You Must Know On Esophagus Cancer
The esophagus is a long, hollow tube that connects your throat to your stomach. Esophageal cancer is a type of cancer that develops there. The food you swallow is moved through your oesophagus from the back of your throat to your stomach so it may be digested.
Usually, the cells that line the interior of the oesophagus are where esophageal cancer develops. Anywhere along the oesophagus is susceptible to esophageal cancer. Esophageal cancer affects more men than women. Higher rates of esophageal cancer may be linked to specific nutritional practices, obesity, and the use of tobacco and alcohol in some areas.
Diagnosis
The following tests and techniques are used to identify esophageal cancer:
- Barium swallow study: In this procedure, you consume a drink containing barium and then have X-rays taken. Your oesophagus’ inside is coated with barium, which causes any alterations to the tissue to be visible on the X-ray.
- Endoscopy, often known as a scope exam, is a procedure where a flexible tube with a video lens (video endoscope) is passed down your neck and into your oesophagus by your doctor. Your doctor checks your oesophagus with an endoscope to check for inflammation or cancer.
- A special scope called an endoscope may be inserted down your neck and into your oesophagus to collect a sample of questionable tissue for testing (biopsy).
Knowing the Extent of Cancer Spread
Once esophageal cancer has been identified, your doctor could advise additional testing to find out if the disease has progressed to your lymph nodes or other parts of your body.
Testing might involve:
- Bronchoscopy
- Ultrasound with endoscopy (EUS)
- Computer-aided imaging (CT)
- CT with positron emission (PET)
Treatment
The type of cells causing your esophageal cancer, its stage, your general health, and your treatment preferences will all affect the treatments you receive.
I. Surgery
- Surgery to remove tiny tumours: If your cancer is small, localised to your oesophagus’ outer layers, and hasn’t spread, your doctor may advise removing both cancer and the margin of healthy tissue surrounding it.
- Esophagectomy, a procedure to remove a piece of the oesophagus: A segment of your upper stomach, the cancerous area of your oesophagus, and adjacent lymph nodes are all removed during this procedure. Your stomach and the remaining oesophagus are once again joined. Typically, to do this, the stomach is raised to meet the remaining oesophagus.
- Surgery to remove the upper stomach and a segment of the esophagus: During this, the doctor takes out more of your stomach, adjacent lymph nodes, and a portion of your oesophagus. After that, the remaining portion of your stomach is raised and joined again to your oesophagus. Your colon may be partially used to assist link the two if necessary.
Serious consequences following esophageal cancer surgery include infection, haemorrhage, and leakage from the region where the surviving oesophagus is reattached to the stomach. The removal of your oesophagus can be done openly through multiple big incisions or by a series of tiny skin incisions using specialised surgical equipment (laparoscopically).
II. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a medication that destroys cancer cells using chemicals. In patients with esophageal cancer, chemotherapy medications are frequently administered either before (neoadjuvant) or after (adjuvant) surgery. Radiation therapy can be used in conjunction with chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy may be used alone to treat the signs and symptoms brought on by advanced cancer that has progressed past the oesophagus.
III. Radiation Therapy
High-energy beams, including X-rays and protons, are used in radiation therapy to kill cancer cells. Usually, a machine outside of your body will emit radiation while directing its beams at the malignancy (external beam radiation). In patients with esophageal cancer, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are most frequently used in conjunction. It is frequently taken before surgery and sporadically following. Additionally, severe esophageal cancer issues such as when a tumour becomes so huge that it prevents food from reaching your stomach are treated with radiation therapy.
IV. Immunotherapy
A medicinal therapy called immunotherapy supports your immune system’s ability to fight cancer. Cancer cells create proteins that make it difficult for immune system cells to recognise the cancer cells as hazardous, so your body’s immune system that fights disease may not attack cancer. Immunotherapy affects that process to work. Immunotherapy may be used to treat esophageal cancer when it has progressed to other parts of the body, returned, or is advanced.
Conclusion
Stressful as this news is, some people find it challenging to talk about advanced cancer. To convey your views, desires, and concerns, it is crucial to have frank dialogues with your medical staff. The medical staff is available to serve patients and their families and has the necessary training, experience, and knowledge to do so. It is crucial to make sure a person is physically at ease, pain-free, and emotionally supported.
Consider hospice treatment if you have advanced cancer and your prognosis is shorter than six months. The goal of hospice care is to give people who are nearing the end of their lives the highest quality of life possible. The medical staff encourages you and your family to discuss your options for hospice care, which may include hospice at home, a specialised hospice centre, or other medical facilities. Many families find that living at home is a viable choice thanks to nursing care and specialised equipment. Consult your doctor or a cancer specialist if required, references for this article: Cancer.gov.
