Esophageal cancer is a type of cancer caused by uncontrolled multiplication of esophageal cells that become malignant, causing certain signs and symptoms such as: difficulty swallowing, the appearance of a lump in the upper stomach, and the appearance of dark bones, however, these symptoms appear when the disease is at a later stage and , as a rule, has metastasis, which decreases the likelihood of recovery.
Depending on the location of the affected cells, esophageal cancer can be classified into the main types:
- Squamous cell carcinoma: is the most common type of esophageal cancer and affects the top of the skin.
- Being more common in smokers and alcoholics;.
Adenocarcinoma: Most of the time they appear in the part that connects the esophagus and stomach, but often in people with chronic gastroesophageal reflux, Barrett’s esophagus and overweight people.
This type of cancer often occurs in people over age 50 and has risk factors such as obesity, reflux, gastritis, or smoking, for example, if the person has a sign of the symptom associated with esophageal cancer and may have certain risk factors associated with it. with the disease, it is recommended that the gastroenterologist be consulted so that an assessment can be ????To detect the disease and establish the most appropriate treatment, I recommend surgery to remove part of your esophagus, as well as chemotherapy and radiation therapy to remove cancer cells that may have been removed during surgery.
Some of the signs and symptoms that may indicate the development of cancer in the esophagus are:
Difficult and painful to swallow, initially solid foods and liquid waste;
Constant snoring and coughing;
Loss of appetite and weight;
Perform simple exercises, such as rolling the bed or climbing stairs;
Feeling flat stomach;
Vomiting with blood and nausea;
It is dark, pasty and with a strong color in the blood;
Constant abdominal disease;
Nodule in the stomach, which can be felt;
Gangs raised on the left side of the neck;
Nodules surrounding the navel
Esophageal cancer usually has no signs or symptoms, but as the disease progresses, you may begin to notice the characteristic symptoms, so the onset of symptoms indicates that the disease is at a later stage, so it is important to diagnose and treat it more. quickly.
The diagnosis of esophageal cancer is made through endoscopy, which is carried out in order to visualize the interior of the esophagus and stomach to detect any signs of alteration; If a nodule is checked or exchanged, a biopsy of the esophagus is recommended. A sample of the esophagus will be taken to check the characteristics of the cells, as well as an x-ray of the esophagus, especially if the person has difficulty swallowing.
During endoscopy, your doctor may check the patient’s condition according to the observed characteristics:
Stage I – Tumor of esophageal walls with about 3 to 5 mm and no metastasis, with greater chance of healing;
Stage II – Increased lining of the esophagus with more than 5 mm and without metastasis with some possibility of healing;
Stage III: thickening of the lining of the esophagus affecting the surrounding sling of the esophagus with limited healing possibilities;
Stage IV: presence of metastasis in the body, with little chance of healing.
However, these steps can be described in more detail depending on the type of esophageal cancer diagnosed by your doctor. In addition, your doctor may recommend a blood test that includes a complete hematology to detect anemia and the need for a blood test.
The onset of esophageal cancer is associated with certain risk factors, such as:
Exaggerated consumption of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes;
Ingestion of hot drinks above 65 degrees Celsius in the form of coffee, up to the infusion of matte, for example;
Ingestion of alkaline or toxic substances, such as chlorine used for cleaning, which causes the esophagus to shrink;
? History of head neck cancer
In addition, this type of cancer is most common in people with diseases such as gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux, Plummer-Vinson syndrome, Barrett’s esophagus achalasia, which causes constant irritation of esophageal walls from gastric yoke reflux.
Treatment of esophageal cancer will depend on the location of the tumor and the stage of the disease, as well as the person’s history, age and symptoms, so treatment of this type of cancer indicated by the oncologist and gastroenterologist may include:
Surgery to remove the esophagus: during this procedure the part of the organ that presents the tumor is attached to the stomach and what remains, however, when the esophagus needs to be removed in its entirety, it is necessary to place an artificial esophageal prosthesis or remove part of the intestine to replace the esophagus;
Radiation therapy: it is done to prevent the growth of tumor cells in the esophagus;
Chemotherapy: intravenously via muscle and, in some cases, in pill form, to promote the elimination of cancer cells still present.
In most cases, these treatments are completely cured and cancer can help reduce symptoms and prolong the patient’s life. The life prognosis for this cancer varies depending on the patient’s type, stage, treatment, and response to treatment.
It is also important to note that this disease when detected in most cases at an advanced stage, the patient’s life expectancy is about 5 years, however, it may be higher when there is no tumor metastasis.
In the case of esophageal cancer, certain dietary changes may be necessary due to difficulty swallowing and side effects of treatment, including chemotherapy, which causes nausea and abdominal discomfort. .
Therefore, it may be necessary to prepare pasty foods, such as soups whipped in spirits or add thickeners to liquid foods, in addition, it may be necessary to receive nutrients intravenously or use a nasogastric tube, which is a tube that runs from the nose to the stomach, to help you receive the right food. See what enteral nutrition looks like.