Esophagus Cancer is the cancer that occurs in the esophagus. To understand this type of cancer, you need to first under the structure of the esophagus.
The esophagus is a hollow tube that connects the throat and the stomach. Every morsel we consume travels through the lumen (inside of the esophagus) to reach our stomachs. It lies between the trachea or windpipe and the spine. The esophagus is 10 to 13 inches long and is made up of multiple layers – Lumen, Mucosa, Sub-Mucosa, Muscularis priopria and Adventitia.
Adenocarcinoma: This type of cancer begins in the cells of mucus-secreting glands in the esophagus. It mostly occurs in the lower portion of the esophagus.
Squamous cell carcinoma: This type of cancer begins in the mucosa within the flat, thin cells ‘squamous cells’ that line the surface of the esophagus.
These are the more two preveantly forms of Esophagus cancer. There are also rare forms of Esophagus Cancers - Lymphomas, Melanomas and Sarcomas.
Esophagus cancer symptoms
Typically, there are no early signs of esophagus cancer. As the cells grow and spread, these are some signs of the disease:
The esophagus is a hollow tube that connects the throat and the stomach. Every morsel we consume travels through the lumen (inside of the esophagus) to reach our stomachs. It lies between the trachea or windpipe and the spine. The esophagus is 10 to 13 inches long and is made up of multiple layers – Lumen, Mucosa, Sub-Mucosa, Muscularis priopria and Adventitia.
- The Lumen is the inner most tunnel of the esophagus.
- The Mucosa is the next layer, which compromises of three parts – epithelium (flat, thin cells called squamous cells), lamina propria (connective tissue) and muscularis mucosa (muscle). Each of these layers form the inner most lining of the esophagus.
- The next layer is Sub-Mucosa, which has connective tissue containing blood vessels and nerves. It also contains glands that secrete mucus.
- The Muscularis priopria is a layer of muscle that contracts and pushes the food down from the throat to the stomach.
- The Adventitia is the outer most layer of the esophagus. This connective tissue layer comprises of an upper esophageal sphincter and a lower esophageal sphincter which relaxes when it senses food and controls the movement of food from the esophagus into the stomach. It also prevents stomach acids and digestive enzymes from entering the esophagus.
Adenocarcinoma: This type of cancer begins in the cells of mucus-secreting glands in the esophagus. It mostly occurs in the lower portion of the esophagus.
Squamous cell carcinoma: This type of cancer begins in the mucosa within the flat, thin cells ‘squamous cells’ that line the surface of the esophagus.
These are the more two preveantly forms of Esophagus cancer. There are also rare forms of Esophagus Cancers - Lymphomas, Melanomas and Sarcomas.
Esophagus cancer symptoms
Typically, there are no early signs of esophagus cancer. As the cells grow and spread, these are some signs of the disease:
- Coughing or hoarseness
- Chest pain. This includes pressure and/or burning
- Dysphasia or difficulty swallowing
- Extreme case of indigestion or heartburn
- Unexplained weight loss
Once the cancer is discovered, depending on the stage, the doctor will offer you a choice of treatment options – surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and endoscopic treatments. He may also recommend a combination of treatment options to best eradicate the tumor.
