Oesophageal cancer

Note: The information on cancer types on the ACRF website is not designed to provide medical or professional advice and is for information only. If you have any health problems or questions please consult your doctor.

Overview

Oesophageal cancer (also known as esophageal cancer) occurs in the oesophagus, the hollow muscular tube that carries food and liquid from the throat to the stomach, where it is digested.

One of the main types of oesophageal cancer is squamous cell carcinoma, which begins in the squamous cells lining the middle and upper part of the oesophagus. Around half of all oesophagael cancers are of this kind.

The other most common type is adenocarinoma, which first develops in glandular tissue in the lower part of the oespohagus because the cells lining part of the oesophagus near the opening of the stomach have changed in response to constant exposure to stomach acids.

This happens when the sphincter muscle at the end of the oesophagus, which opens to allow food to enter the stomach and closes to prevent harmful digestive stomach acids bubbling up into the oesophagus, lets these digestive acids through. This condition is commonly called ‘reflux’.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), otherwise known as long term acid reflux may change the cells of the lower esophagus into the type of cells lining the stomach. If this happens over a long period, the cells of the lower oesophagus can change into the type of cells lining the stomach, and become cancerous.

Treatment

Factors influencing the treatment approach include how large the tumour has grown, how deeply it has invaded the layers of the oesophagus, and whether it has spread to nearby organs, lymph nodes, or other body parts.

When a patient is healthy enough to withstand it, surgery is used to treat this cancer – alone or combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgery alone can be curative if the cancer is found early and has not spread beyond the oesophagus. It is also an excellent means of relieving symptoms including swallowing problems.

A combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be used without surgery and chemotherapy can be given before surgery.

Radiotherapy is also used to relieve pain, enhance swallowing, or treat other symptoms of oesophagael cancer.