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Dr Rudra Acharya is a highly qualified and experienced cancer specialist to treat esophageal cancer. Below is all needed to know about its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
Your oesophagus refers to a hollow muscular tube that moves food to your stomach from your throat. Esophageal cancer may happen when esophageal lining develops a malignant (noncancerous) tumour anywhere along the length. While growing, it may turn cancerous, harming the esophageal muscles and deep tissues.
Below are the 2 usual types of esophageal cancer:
The precise esophageal cancer causes are unknown, like many other cancers. It’s assumed to be associated with DNA mutations of your esophageal cells. This signals cellular multiplication faster than usual. It also impairs the signal for the timely death of these cells. This leads to their accumulation and formation of tumours.
Despite uncertain esophageal cancer causes, there are the following definite risk factors:
Individuals at pronounced risk of this cancer are:
In the initial stages of this cancer, you might not develop any signs. However, with the progression of the condition, you may have the following esophageal cancer symptoms:
Esophageal cancer stages are numbered in the increasing order according to the cancer progression as follows:
Many tests are there for ascertaining your esophageal cancer stage. These are:
Various test procedures are available to diagnose esophageal cancer depending on your esophageal cancer symptoms and stage. The tests are as follows:
Based on your esophageal cancer symptoms, the doctor will recommend the most appropriate treatment option suitable for your specific case. He might suggest surgery if your cancer has not yet metastasised to your other body parts. Otherwise, the doctor may suggest radiation therapy or chemotherapy as the optimal course of action. These procedures are also carried out, at times, for shrinking tumours in your oesophagus in order that they can be surgically eliminated more conveniently.
Esophageal Cancer Surgery
If your cancer is small and has not metastasised, the doctor can rid you of your tumour with the help of a minimally invasive method, via multiple tiny incisions and an endoscope.
In the usual approach, the surgeon makes a larger incision for eliminating a part of your oesophagus and at times, the surrounding lymph nodes. The surgeon will rebuild your oesophagus obtaining tissue from your large intestine or stomach.
In potential cases, a section of the top of your stomach will also be taken away.
There can be certain surgical risks or complications like:
Chemotherapy
It refers to the employment of medications for attacking cancer cells. It might be performed preceding or following the surgery. At times, it is coupled with radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy has several possible side effects. Most of them happen as chemotherapy medications also destroy healthy cells. The side effects will vary with the drugs recommended by your doctor. Such adverse effects are:
Radiation Therapy
This process employs radiation beams for destroying cancer cells. The doctor may administer it externally using a machine or internally using an apparatus put close to your tumour (during brachytherapy).
Radiation is usually done together with chemotherapy. The side effects are commonly more serious when combination therapy is performed. The adverse effects of radiation can be:
You may probably undergo specific side effects of the approach long after treatment is over. These might be esophageal stricture in which your esophageal tissue loses flexibility and results in the narrowing of your oesophagus, causing pain or difficulty in swallowing.
Targeted Therapy
They can target particular proteins on your cancer cells in a manner of threatening your cancer. A small part of cancer can be cured with Trastuzumab which targets HER2 protein on your cancer cell surface. Besides, cancers can advance by producing new blood vessels. Ramucirumab, a form of targeted procedure which joins monoclonal antibodies with VGEF protein that aids in new blood vessel creation.
Other Treatments
If the oesophagus is blocked due to cancer, the doctor might implant one stent into the organ for keeping it open.
Photodynamic therapy may also be done where your tumour is injected with a photosensitive medication for attacking the tumour with light exposure.
Immunotherapy is another treatment option. It stimulates your immune system for attacking cancer cells.
Electrocoagulation, another alternative, employs electric current for destroying cancer cells.
Cryotherapy may also be performed for freezing cancer cells to aid in tumour shrinkage.
Stage-wise esophageal cancer treatment includes:
How curable is the cancer of the oesophagus?
Usually, esophageal cancer can be treated. However, unfortunately, the issue is rarely curable. The generic survival rate on a 5-year basis manageable with specific treatment is around 5-30%. Rarely, a patient with a very early stage possesses a higher probability of survival.
What is the main cause of esophageal cancer?
The primary cause of esophageal cancer is GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disorder) and also smoking. GERD refers to a chronic digestive issue where your bile or stomach acid can irritate your esophageal lining by flowing into the tube. It is generally indicated by heartburn and acid reflux more than twice every week. Smoking can trigger squamous cell esophageal cancer. Besides, Barrett's oesophagus is also a serious cause associated with adenocarcinoma.
How aggressive is esophageal cancer?
The aggressiveness of esophageal cancer has reached the extent that it can deteriorate your quality of life and is usually fatal also. The liquids and foods that you consume will fail to pass through the oesophagus as it will be blocked by cancer. In potential stages, if untreated, you will experience esophageal bleeding as a critical esophageal cancer symptom.
What were your first symptoms of esophageal cancer?
The initial esophageal cancer symptoms might include:
These early esophageal cancer symptoms will be experienced only in the preliminary stages of the disorder.