Torrance Memorial Esophageal Cancer Program
Esophageal cancer – cancer that starts in the tube connecting the
mouth to the stomach – is a form of gastrointestinal cancer. Esophageal
cancer is three to four times more common in men than women. Because of
lifestyle-related risk factors including tobacco and alcohol use, esophageal
cancer is more common in other parts of the world than here in the United
States, where it accounts for about 1% of all cancer diagnoses.
Symptoms of Esophageal Cancer
The symptoms listed below are common to many conditions and usually do
not indicate that you have esophageal cancer – however, if you notice
these changes and they are persistent, it’s a good idea to have
your doctor check them out. Symptoms that may suggest esophageal cancer include:
- Trouble swallowing
- Chest pain
- Weight loss
- Hoarseness
- Chronic cough
- Vomiting
- Persistent hiccups
- Pneumonia
- Back pain
- Blood in the stool
Risk Factors for Esophageal Cancer
Chronic Gastroc-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) can lead to a condition
Barrett’s Esophagus, in which precancerous cells develop in the
lining of the esophagus, raising the risk for esophageal cancer.
Most people don’t need to undergo screening for esophageal cancer
because it is so rare. If you have risk factors, however, your doctor
may suggest a procedure called endoscopy to examine your esophagus and,
based on findings, may recommend undergoing this test on a regular basis.
Though sometimes a visual examination is all that’s necessary, very
often doctors extract small tissue samples to be tested for the presence
of pre-cancerous cells
Diagnosis and Treatment
In addition to endoscopy, other tests used to determine whether you have
esophageal cancer and, if so, its extent, include:
- Chest x-ray
- Barium swallow (also called an upper GI series) to examine the esophagus
and stomach
As is true for most types of cancer, esophageal cancer treatment depends
on the stage of the disease. Treatments may include:
Additionally, esophageal cancer may be treated with a variety of endoscopic
treatments, including:
- Endoscopic mucosal resection
- Argon plasma coagulation
- Electrocoagulation
- Esophageal stent
For More Information
For additional information about the Esophageal Cancer program at Torrance
Memorial, call our Nurse Navigator at 310-517-7077.
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