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Esophageal cancer - Overview

Alternative Names

Cancer - esophagus

Definition of Esophageal cancer:

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

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Esophageal cancer is not very common in the United States. It occurs most often in men over 50 years old.

Two main types of esophageal cancer exist: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. These two types look different from each other under the microscope.

Squamous cell esophageal cancer is linked to smoking and alcohol consumption.

Barrett's esophagus, a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), increases the risk for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. This is the more common type of esophageal cancer. Other risk factors for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus include:

Male gender
Obesity
Smoking

Digestive system

Heartburn prevention

Reviewed last on: 1/31/2011
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Das A. Tumors of the esophagus. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2010:chap 46.

National Cancer Institute. Esophageal Cancer Treatment PDQ. Updated July 20, 2010.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Inc. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Esophageal Cancer. V2. 2010. Accessed January 22, 2011.

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