Esophageal Cancer Center

Cancer that begins in the esophagus, or the tube that connects your throat with your stomach, (also called esophageal cancer) is divided into two major types:

• Squamous cell carcinoma: Tumors that develop in the tissue lining the hollow organs of the body. These cancers usually occur in the upper and middle part of the esophagus. Squamous cell carcinomas arise in the squamous cells that line your esophagus.
• Adenocarcinoma: This depends on the type of cells that are malignant. Adenocarcinomas usually develop in the glandular tissue in the lower part of the esophagus.

The treatment is similar for both types of esophageal cancer.

If the cancer spreads outside the esophagus, it often goes to the lymph nodes first. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that are part of your immune system. Esophageal cancer can also spread to almost any other part of the body, including the liver, lungs, brain and bones.

Approximately 11,000 to 13,000 new cases of esophageal cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. The exact causes of cancer of the esophagus are not known. It is more common in men than women, and is more likely to occur as you get older; most people who develop esophageal cancer are over age 60. Smoking cigarettes or using smokeless tobacco is one of the major risk factors for esophageal cancer. Chronic and/or heavy use of alcohol is another major risk factor for esophageal cancer. People who use both alcohol and tobacco have an especially high risk of esophageal cancer. Scientists believe that these substances increase each other's harmful effects. Studies have shown these other factors to increase your risk of developing cancer of the esophagus:

• Barrett's esophagus: Long-term irritation can increase your risk of esophageal cancer. Tissues at the bottom of the esophagus can become irritated if stomach acid frequently "backs up" into the esophagus—a problem called gastric reflux. Over time, cells in the irritated part of the esophagus may change and begin to resemble the cells that line the stomach. This condition, known as Barrett's esophagus, is a premalignant condition that may develop into adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.
• Other types of irritation: Other causes of significant irritation or damage to the lining of the esophagus, such as swallowing lye or other caustic substances, can increase the risk of developing esophageal cancer.
• Medical history: People who have had other head and neck cancers have an increased chance of developing a second cancer in the head and neck area, including esophageal cancer.

Having any of these risk factors increases the likelihood that a person will develop esophageal cancer. Still, most people with one or even several of these factors do not get the disease. And most people who do get esophageal cancer have none of the known risk factors.

Identifying factors that increase a person's chances of developing esophageal cancer is the first step toward preventing the disease. We already know that the best ways to prevent this type of cancer are to quit (or never start) smoking cigarettes or using smokeless tobacco and to drink alcohol only in moderation. Researchers continue to study the causes of esophageal cancer and to search for other ways to prevent it. For example, they are exploring the possibility that increasing one's intake of fruits and vegetables, especially raw ones, may reduce the risk of this disease.

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we use many tools to help you fight esophageal cancer on all fronts. A powerful combination of traditional and new, innovative therapies are provided by our cancer experts, who work with you to determine the appropriate combination of therapies. These may include the following:

• Surgery may be performed for esophageal cancer to remove lymph nodes and/or remove part of the esophagus, depending on the stage of cancer.
• High-Dose Radiation (HDR) brachytherapy, a form of internal radiotherapy, is a method of precisely delivering radiation from the inside out, sparing surrounding healthy tissue and organs. It may reduce the need for surgery.
• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), advanced conformal radiotherapy, employs a powerful computer program that plans a precise dose of radiation in three dimensions based on individual tumor size, shape and location. Remarkably, it allows for higher radiation doses than traditional radiotherapy methods, while sparing more of the healthy surrounding tissue.
• Fractionated-dose chemotherapy divides a powerful dose of drugs into smaller doses, given over several days. This approach exposes cancer cells to the drugs for a longer period of time, while also seeking to reduce the unpleasant side effects often experienced with larger doses.
• Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is treatment with a laser light, used to relieve symptoms of esophageal cancer or potentially destroy cancer cells.

In addition to the conventional therapies described above, CTCA enriches your esophageal cancer treatment by offering complementary/alternative therapies such as naturopathic medicine, nutrition therapy, mind-body medicine, image enhancement and spiritual support. CTCA is with you every step of the way in what truly is the fight of your life.