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Esophageal cancer is a malignancy that develops in tissues of the hollow, muscular canal(esophagus) along which food and liquid travel from the throat to the stomach.Esophageal cancer usually originates in the inner layers of the lining of the eso...
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Esophageal cancer is a malignant(cancerous) tumor of the esophagus, the muscular tube that moves food from the mouth to the stomach.
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To help you understand what is happening when you have cancer, it helps to understand how your body works normally. Our bodies are made up of tiny building blocks called cells. Normal cells grow and multiply when the body needs them, and die out when the body does not need them.
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Esophageal cancer is a malignancy that develops in tissues of the hollow, muscular canal(esophagus) along which food and liquid travel from the throat to the stomach.Esophageal cancer usually originates in the inner layers of the lining of the eso...
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Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about esophageal cancer. Q: What is the esophagus?
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If you're having symptoms that could be linked to esophageal cancer, your doctor will want to know why. Your doctor is likely to ask you questions such as these.
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There are very few things scarier than being told you have cancer. You may feel like you're in shock. You may not even want to believe what the doctor has told you. And there are probably so many questions you want to ask but think you can't because you don't know where to start.
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The first step to lowering your risk of esophageal cancer is to identify your risk factors. Then you can decide which risks you can and cannot control. These are some of the steps you can take to help lower your risk for esophageal cancer.
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There is no way to know for sure if you're going to get esophageal cancer. And there is no known way to prevent it. Certain factors can make you more likely to get this type of cancer than another person. These are called risk factors. Here are the known risk factors for esophageal cancer. Tell your doctor if you feel you may be at risk.
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Detailed information on esophageal cancer, including symptoms, stages, types, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment
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The way a cancer grows or the path it takes if it spreads from the first tumor is its pathophysiology. When cancer spreads from the first site, it's called metastasis.
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Treating your cancer to get the best results is important. But your quality of life also matters. Let your doctor and nurse know if you are experiencing any side effects or discomfort. Make sure you tell your doctor or nurse how these problems affect your day-to-day life. Your healthcare team is there to help you manage your symptoms as well as to treat your cancer.
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The treatments to destroy cancer cells can harm healthy cells at the same time, and that means treatment can cause side effects.
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A prognosis is a statement about the prospect of surviving and recovering from a disease. It may sound hard to ask, "Can I survive this?” But it's a question most people have when they learn they have esophageal cancer. Unfortunately, there isn't an easy answer.
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If you already have esophageal cancer, taking the same steps that lower a person's risks of getting the disease can help make your treatment more successful.
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Your doctor took a biopsy from your esophagus to know that you have cancer. Your doctor may request more tests to learn more about your specific type of cancer and its location. This information helps you and your doctor decide on the treatment that is likely to be most effective. These tests can also help your doctor learn if cancer has spread beyond the esophagus. CT Scan and endoscopic ultrasound are the two most common tests.
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Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs also harm healthy cells. This treatment has several goals depending on the cancer.
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Radiation treatment is also called radiotherapy. Its goal is to use high-energy X-rays or other types of radiation to kill or shrink cancer cells. Your doctor may recommend it to reduce the size of a tumor before surgery. This helps ease symptoms and may also make it easier to take out with surgery. Or you may have radiation after surgery to kill any cancer cells that remain.
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Surgery is the most common treatment for esophageal cancer. The goal of surgery is to remove the tumor and check to see if the cancer has spread. Removing the tumor might be a cure, if cancer has not spread. Even if the cancer can't be cured, surgery can also ease symptoms, such as helping you to swallow and eat more easily.
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Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy if the cancer has spread. It is rarely used for early-stage esophageal cancer. (That's when cancer is confined to the esophagus and nearby areas.)
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Your doctor may suggest radiation treatment if any of these statements is true for you.
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In the early stages of esophageal cancer, when it is still only in the esophagus, it is usually asymptomatic, meaning it doesn't cause symptoms. When the cancer has spread to nearby areas (called locally advanced), there may be minor symptoms. In those cases, you may think that the symptoms are caused by something else, such as indigestion. You may be tempted to ignore them. Here is a list of early symptoms of esophageal cancer.
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Sometimes esophageal cancer comes back after you've had treatment. In that case, the goal of treatment is to ease your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Your doctor may use these standard treatments to do that.
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Surgery is the most common treatment for esophageal cancer. It may be a good choice for you if any of these statements are true.
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You'll meet with your surgeon ahead of time to talk about any concerns you may have.
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What happens during surgery depends on the type of surgery you are having. The type of surgery also affects where you have incisions. The surgeon may make an incision in your chest, your abdomen, or your neck. Sometimes, you may need more than one incision. You may be able to have the surgery using a laparoscope, which is a tool that helps your doctor see inside you. If you are able to have laparoscopic surgery, your incisions may be smaller.
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At first, the information you learn about treatment options may seem overwhelming. You may be able to ease the stress by allowing yourself the time to gather as much information as possible about your disease and its treatment. That way, you can discuss the issues with your doctors, nurses, and loved ones.
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One treatment for esophageal cancer that is being studied is a type of targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses drugs. They're developed to target the specific molecules that cause cells to become cancerous, grow, and spread (metastasize). Because of their focus on the specific part of the cancer cell that is causing the problem, they may cause less harm to normal cells than other kinds of treatment. That may mean they don't cause as many side effects. Treatment for cancer with fewer side effects can lead to an improved quality of life.
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Expert-reviewed information summary about factors that may influence the risk of developing esophageal cancer and about research aimed at the prevention of this disease.
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How often you get chemotherapy treatments depends on the drug or drugs you take. The type of chemotherapy you get often depends on the size of your tumor and how fast it is spreading.
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Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of esophageal cancer.The esophagus is the hollow, muscular tube that moves food and liquid from the throat to the stomach. The wall of the esophagus is made up of several layers of tissue, including mucous membrane, muscle, and connective tissue. Esophagealcancer starts at the inside lining of the esophagus and spreads outward through the other layers as it grows.
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Treatment for cancer is either local or systemic. Local treatments remove, kill, or control the cancer cells in one spot. Surgery, radiation, photodynamic therapy, and electrocoagulation are local treatments.
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Expert-reviewed information summary about tests used to detect or screen for esophageal cancer.
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Usually, you'll be in the hospital for about 7 days. You may have to stay away from work for a few weeks, especially if you are having other treatment after surgery. Here's an overview of how you might feel after surgery.
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Screening tests check for signs of cancer in people who don't have any symptoms. There is no standard screening test for the early detection of esophageal cancer that is recommended for the general population. If you have risk factors or symptoms linked to esophageal cancer, you might want to talk with your doctor about screening. Or he or she may raise the idea of screening with you.
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For this type of radiation, your doctor uses one of these tools to insert radiation in or near the tumor.
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This type of radiation usually comes from a machine called a linear accelerator. Many times, the machine is linked to computers to precisely control the radiation. This helps limit damage to healthy tissue.
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Dealing with your feelings is often easier as you learn more about your disease and get support from others. Doctors, nurses, and other members of your healthcare team can answer your questions. Talking with friends and family or others who have had cancer can help. Meeting with a social worker, counselor, or member of the clergy may also help. Many people with cancer attend support groups where they share what they've learned about cancer and its treatments. Here are some ways you may find support.
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Many people with esophageal cancer have a hard time swallowing. Problems can result for these reasons.
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It's likely that you will have physical concerns since your cancer may cause symptoms and your treatment may cause side effects. In this section, you'll learn more about how to respond to some of the most common symptoms and side effects from treating esophageal cancer.
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The side effects of chemotherapy are different for everyone. They depend on these things.
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These are some common side effects of internal radiation during the first week.
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Radiation affects normal cells as well as cancer cells. This means it can cause side effects. What they are depends on what part of your body is treated. It also depends on the amount and the type of radiation you get. For esophageal cancer, most of the effects of radiation are in the area of your throat, neck, and chest.
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Your doctor will give you tests to help to find out exactly where the cancer is and what kind of cancer it is. Esophageal cancer starts in the cells of the inner lining. There are 2 main types of esophageal cancer, which are named for the type of cells that become cancerous.
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You might be tempted to use statistics to try to figure out your chance of getting cancer or of being cured. Remember that this data shows what happens with large groups of people. Because no two people are alike, this information can't be used to know or predict what will happen to you.
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The overall 5-year survival rate for people whose cancer responds to treatment is 17% of white patients and 12% of African-American patients. The earlier esophageal cancer is caught, the better the chance of surviving. While this number may seem low, it is rising. In the mid 1970s, the survival rate was 5%.
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When you exercise, you gain more strength and flexibility. Your mood will improve, and you'll be able to think better.
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In elderly patients, symptoms of depression can be mistaken for symptoms of another medical problem, so it is important for clinicians to consider all physical problems and medications of elderly patients before making a diagnosis.
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Aimed at older adults, this report provides practical advice on how to avoid common and often deadly accidents at home.
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Learn how to put together a caregiving plan, draw on useful services, and address legal, medical, and financial planning issues. Also, find advice on involving family members, handling daily tasks, and maintaining your well being.
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Not everyone faces a crisis at age 40 or 50. But odds are you'll go through some kind of transition, as life challenges coincide with the realization that you're getting older.
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Midlife weight gain may put you at risk for serious health conditions, such as diabetes.
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This report takes a view of the whole woman and helps her choose the most practical strategies for making her midlife transition.
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