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Esophageal cancer

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Esophageal cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor of the esophagus, the muscular tube that transports food from the mouth to the stomach.

Alternative Names:

Cancer - esophagus

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Esophageal cancer is relatively uncommon in the United States, and occurs most often in men over 50 years old. It affects less than 5 in 100,000 people. There are two main types of esophageal cancer --squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. These two types look different from each other under the microscope.

Squamous cell cancer is associated with smoking and alcohol consumption . The incidence of this disease in the United States has remained mostly the same, while the incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus has risen dramatically.

Barrett's esophagus , a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a risk factor for the development of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

Risk factors for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus include male gender, obesity, western diet, and smoking.

• Review Date: 5/26/2006
• Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.

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