Esophageal cancer

A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of developing a disease. Having risk factors doesn't automatically mean you'll get esophageal cancer. However, you should see one of our specialists if you're concerned. It's also good to monitor your risk level and contributing factors such as:

• Barrett's esophagus
• Excess alcohol consumption
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Heavy smoking or use of chewing tobacco
• Obesity

Esophageal cancer grows slowly and can grow for many years before it causes symptoms. As a result, many people aren't diagnosed until the disease has spread. For this reason, it's important to see your doctor as soon as you experience symptoms, which can include:

• Hoarseness
• Severe coughing
• Swallowing pain or difficulty
• Throat, chest or back pain
• Weight loss without trying

Esophageal cancer is most often detected in the later stages. If it's found early, sometimes endoscopic therapies are possible, and surgery might not be necessary. Computerized tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans allow us to determine whether the cancer has spread beyond the esophagus, including to surrounding lymph nodes.

Additionally, your diagnosis might include an upper endoscopy. During this procedure, a tiny camera is inserted into your esophagus to visualize and biopsy any mass found during the procedure. An ultrasound can also be used during this procedure to help determine the extent of tumor growth in your esophagus wall.

We're highly experienced in treating the two most common types of esophageal cancer:

• Adenocarcinoma
• Squamous cell carcinoma
  

The treatment for esophageal cancer can be long and intense, which is why it's best done under the care of our experienced team. We give you access to a thoracic surgeon and support team who develop individualized treatment plans that meet your needs.

Our experienced specialists use a multipronged approach to your treatment. Depending on the type and stage of esophageal cancer you have, your care plan may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery. The approach we use depends on your symptoms and overall health.

Chemotherapy and radiation treatment recovery time depends on how well you tolerate the treatment, as well as your overall general health. If we plan to do surgery after you receive chemotherapy or radiation, we schedule the procedure six to eight weeks after completion to allow your body time to fully recover. It's critical for ensuring that you're strong enough to undergo surgery.