What is Esophageal Cancer?

Esophageal cancer affects the organ responsible for the movement of food from the mouth to the stomach, referred to as the esophagus. It is a long, narrow tube connecting the mouth and the intestines. Esophageal cancer may occur in any part of this tube.

Cancer of the esophagus commonly affects men and incidence is high in ages over 50. According to the MayoClinic, it is more prevalent in Asia and in some parts of Africa than the United States. The disease is diagnosed in the late stages since symptoms are often ignored. Once diagnosed, treatment depends on the stage of the disease. It the cancer has not spread from the esophagus, surgery to remove the tumor may still be an option. However, if the cancer has already spread in the body, the treatment will be focused on management of complications and symptoms.

Based on the type of esophageal cells affected and location of the malignant in the esophagus, two categories of esophageal cancer. One is caused by squamos cell carcinoma and the other is adenocarcinoma. Squamos cell carcinoma is often related to alcohol consumption, smoking, chewing tobacco and bile influx. The other, adenocarcinoma is often linked with Barrets esophagus, a condition caused by gastroesophageal influx disease (GER) and is seen to affect men in general, and is located along the lower end portion of the esophagus.

Risk factors

Risk factors include obesity, smoking and drinking alcohol, drinking of hot beverages which causes thermal injury to the esophagus, and

Symptoms

The first common symptoms of esophageal cancer is painful or difficulty in swallowing which is often caused by the tumor growth. Other symptoms of esophageal cancer may vary from regurgitation of food, frequent choking when eating, unexplainable weight loss, difficulty swallowing solids of liquids, vomiting, as well as heartburn.

Complications

Pneumonia can be deadly for anyone with esophageal cancer because a tumor in the esophagus can often force down the food and liquid into the windpipe. This causes aspiration pnuemonia due to the infection in the patient's lungs.

Prevention

To reduce the risk of having this disease, alcohol and smoking should be stopped and so is consumption of coffee and other hot beverages on a frequent basis. Any habit that largely affects the esophagus in any manner must be avoided.

Noted personalities who succumbed to this rare cancer include writer Christopher Hitchens who died December 15 this year due to complications with pneumonia. Hitchens was diagnised with the cancer only June this year.