Esophageal cancer is cancer that occurs in the esophagus, a long, hollow tube that runs from the throat to the stomach. Your esophagus helps move the food you swallow from the back of your throat to your stomach to be digested.
Cancer of the esophagus usually begins in the cells that line the inside of the esophagus, it can occur anywhere in the esophagus. It is the sixth most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Incidence rates vary in different geographic locations. In some regions, the highest rates of esophageal cancer can be attributed to tobacco and alcohol use or particular nutritional habits and obesity.
The disease is diagnosed by biopsy performed by an endoscope (a fiber optic camera). Prevention includes quitting smoking and eating a healthy diet. Treatment is based on the stage and location of the cancer, along with the person's general condition and individual preferences. Small localized squamous cell cancers can be treated with surgery alone in the hope of a cure. In most other cases, chemotherapy with or without radiation therapyit is used in conjunction with surgery. Larger tumors can be stunted with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In the presence of extensive illness or if the affected person is in no condition to undergo surgery, palliative care is often recommended.
As of 2012, esophageal cancer was the eighth most common cancer in the world with 456,000 new cases during the year. That caused about 400,000 deaths that year, up from 345,000 in 1990. Rates vary widely between countries, and about half of all cases occur in China. It is around three times more common in men than in women. The results are related to the degree of the disease and other medical conditions, but generally tend to be quite poor, as the diagnosis is often late. Five-year survival rates range from 13% to 18%.
