Esophageal Cancer

Overview

This condition is a form of cancer that affects the tissue in the esophagus (the tube that travels from the throat to the stomach). Risk factors for the disease include heavy alcohol consumption, tobacco use, chronic acid reflux, poor diet, and obesity.

Causes

Esophageal cancer forms when cells that line the esophagus become damaged and begin to reproduce uncontrollably. Another cause is when cancer cells from another part of the body travel to the esophagus and begin to grow there. A lump of these cancer cells is called a tumor.

Symptoms

Esophageal cancer can cause a variety of symptoms including difficulty or pain during swallowing, the sensation that something is caught in the throat, pain in the throat or chest, hoarseness, hiccups, vomiting of blood, and weight loss.

Treatment

Treatment for esophageal cancer depends on the type, stage of cancer, the patient's age, and health. Treatment options can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or photodynamic therapy.