Esophageal Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Esophageal cancer is a type of cancer that affects the esophagus, which is the tube that carries food and liquids from your mouth to your stomach. Esophageal cancer can cause many different symptoms, depending on the stage of the disease. Did you know that esophageal cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer in the world? In this blog post, we will discuss the symptoms, treatment, and prevention of esophageal cancer.

Types of Esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is classified according to the type of cells that are involved. The cancer begins within the inner layer of the esophagus and may spread to other layers of the esophagus and other parts of the body (metastasis). The sort of esophageal cancer you have will influence your treatment choices. Types of esophageal cancer include:

• Adenocarcinoma- Adenocarcinoma begins in the cells of mucus-producing glands in the esophagus. Adenocarcinoma occurs most often in the lower portion of the esophagus. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the most frequent type of esophageal cancer in the United States, and it mostly affects white males.
• Squamous cell carcinoma- The squamous cells are thin, flat cells that cover the esophagus's surface. Squamous cell carcinoma occurs most often in the upper and middle portions of the esophagus. The most frequent esophageal cancer is squamous cell carcinoma.
• Other rare types- Some rare forms of esophageal cancer include small cell carcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma, melanoma and choriocarcinoma.

Esophageal cancer related products

Stages of Esophageal cancer

The stages of esophageal cancer are given a number (I through IV); the higher the number, the more advanced the cancer. The stages are:

• Stage 0- abnormal cells (not fully mutated into cancerous cells) may be found in the esophageal lining layer.
• Stage I- The esophagus is lined by cancer cells in only one layer, the epithelium.
• Stage II- The cancer has reached the muscular layer of the esophageal outer wall. The cancer has potentially spread to one to two nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage III- The cancer has spread deeper into the muscle layer or connective tissue wall. It's possible that it has spread outside the esophagus and into adjacent organs and/or lymph nodes.
• Stage IV- This is the final stage of cancer. The disease has spread to additional tissues in the body and/or lymph nodes far outside the esophagus.

Causes of Esophageal cancer

The exact cause of esophageal cancer is unknown. When cells in the esophagus acquire changes (mutations) in their DNA, it is known as esophageal cancer. The modifications cause cells to grow and divide out of control. A tumour forms in the esophagus as a result of excessive cell division, and it can spread to neighbouring areas and other parts of the body. Several distinct genes have been identified as having somatic mutations in esophageal cancer. The somatic mutation is a genetic change acquired by a cell that can be passed on to the progeny of the mutated cell during cell division. These genes include TP53, CDKN2A, DEC1, DCC, DLEC1, TGFBR2, LZTS1, RNF6, WWOX, APC, and RUNX3. The TP53 gene and the RB1 gene are the frequent abnormal changes found in esophageal cancer. The majority of esophageal squamous cell cancer tumours contain distinct genetic flaws, some of which are connected to particular cellular pathways, such as cell cycle and apoptosis, DNA repair processes, and growth factor receptors.

Symptoms of Esophageal cancer

Early symptoms of esophageal cancer may include:

• Difficult and painful swallowing
• Weight loss
• Chest pain
• Hoarseness
• Worsening indigestion or heartburn

Barrett's esophagus

Your chance of developing esophageal cancer is higher if you have Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition caused by chronic acid reflux. GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a potentially severe side effect of Barrett's esophagus. Barrett's esophagus develops in 10% of individuals with long-term GERD symptoms. Esophageal type of cancer affects less than 1% of persons with Barrett's esophagus. However, if you've been diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus, it's critical to have frequent checks of your esophagus. Because there are typically no distinct symptoms connected with Barrett's esophagus, an endoscopy and biopsy must be performed. Treatment's major aim is to prevent or slow the development of Barrett's esophagus by treating and managing acid reflux. This is accomplished through lifestyle modifications as well as medication.

Diagnosis of Esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is usually diagnosed with one or more of the following tests:

• Endoscopy: A thin, flexible tube with a light and camera is inserted through your mouth and into your esophagus. This allows the doctor to look for abnormal areas.

• Biopsy: In this test, a small sample of tissue is removed from the suspicious area and checked for cancer cells.

• Barium swallow X-ray: A liquid is given to drink that coats your esophagus. This makes the esophagus stand out on the X-ray so that your doctor can identify certain problems.

• Endoscopic ultrasound, or endosonography: Used during endoscopy, sound waves bounce off organs in the body to create pictures called sonograms. This test can provide more information on the size and extent of the tumor.

• Thoracoscopy: An endoscope is inserted into the chest through a cut to look for lymph nodes and other chest organs that may be cancerous. Biopsies can be done during this procedure.

• Laparoscopy: The lighted tube is inserted through an incision in the abdomen to examine the abdominal organs and take tissue samples to check for cancer spread.

• Other tests, including computed tomography (CT) scans, positron emission tomography (PET) scan, thoracoscopy, and laparoscopy, may be performed to determine if the cancer has spread, or metastasized, outside of the esophagus. This process is called "staging."

Treatment for Esophageal cancer

• Once esophageal cancer has been diagnosed, treatment will be based on the stage of the disease. If the cancer is caught early, surgery may be all that is needed to remove the tumor. However, if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, more aggressive treatment may be necessary. Esophageal cancer is typically treated with surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy which targets specific aspects of a cancer to curb cancer growth and spread.
• Immunotherapy helps the immune system to attack cancer cells.

Risk factors and Preventive measures

There are several risk factors that may increase your chances of developing the disease. These include:

• Smoking tobacco
• Heavy alcohol use
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Esophageal inflammation or damage

Prevention of esophageal cancer is important. Some tips to prevent esophageal cancer include:

• Quit smoking
• Eat a healthy diet
• Avoid excessive alcohol use
• Eat more fruits and vegetable
• Maintain a healthy weight