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Researchers are studying new ways to treat esophageal cancer. People diagnosed with it now have more hope for survival than ever before.
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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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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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Your health care team will explain your options and can answer your questions. They'll work with you during all stages of your treatment. Members of your health care team may include:
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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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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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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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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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Your doctor may suggest radiation treatment if any of these statements is true for you.
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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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Radiation therapy can help you in your fight against cancer. To feel better, get plenty of rest, exercise, and eat well. This will give your body the extra strength it needs right now. Also, look to family and friends for support and comfort.
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Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to treat your cancer. From the moment you found out you had cancer, you most likely have had questions about treatment. You are not facing cancer treatment alone. Loved ones, support groups, and counseling can help you. Keep a list of any questions you have for your radiation therapy team. Ask these questions during your visits, or call if you need to. And use the resources below for information.
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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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For this type of radiation, your doctor uses one of these tools to insert radiation in or near the tumor.
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These are some common side effects of internal radiation during the first week.
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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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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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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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The side effects of chemotherapy are different for everyone. They depend on these things.
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This is a type of laser therapy. This is a fairly new treatment for esophageal cancer. PDT can only be used for cancers that are near the inner surface your esophagus. Your doctor may recommend PDT if any of the following bolded statements apply to you.
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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a type of laser treatment. It is a 2-step process.
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As soon as you are injected with the photosensitizing drug Photofrin (porfimer sodium), you are at high risk for dangerous sunburn. So you need to protect your skin and eyes immediately after you are injected with it and for at least a month to 6 weeks afterward.
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Key Points Photodynamic therapy (PDT) combines a drug (called a photosensitizer or photosensitizing agent) with a specific type of light to kill cancer cells (see Questions 1 and 2).
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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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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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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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Many people with esophageal cancer have a hard time swallowing. Problems can result for these reasons.
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