Esophagus Cancer – Signs and Symptoms

Esophagus cancer also known as esophageal cancer is a medical condition where the cells which line the esophagus either change or mutate in such a way that it becomes malignant. The growth in these cells is continous leading to the formation of a tumor.

Esophagus is basically a hollow, muscular tube situated behind the windpipe and in front of the spine. As it connects the throat to the stomach, all the food and liquid items travel through it to reach the stomach. The wall of esophagus has several layers, and it is among these layers that usually the cancer cells grow.

There are mainly two types of esophageal cancer:

1. Squamous cell carcinoma2. Adenocarcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma, as the name suggests, affects the squamous cells in the esophagus. These cells basically line the inner surface of the mid-portion of the esophagus and are thin & flat in appearance. Adenocarcinoma on the other hand effects the lower portion of the esophagus. This type of cancer occurs in the area where the esophagus joins the stomach.

Symptoms of esophagus cancer are as follows: Though chronic cough, hoarseness in voice, pneumonia, chronic cough, hiccups are some of the very general signs of cancer development, there are also cases where the esophagus experiences bleeding. The blood then passes passes through the digestive tract due to which the stool might turn black in color. Over time due to continous loss of blood, the individual might turn anemic and fell tired on a regular basis.

Apart from these symptoms, there are some symptoms which call for immediate attention. These symptoms are:

Regular pain in the chest with a burning sensation in the chest. Trouble in swallowing the food is perhaps the most common symptoms in most of the cases. Along with these two symptoms, drastic loss in weight is another sign of development of esophageal cancer.

Many of these symptoms are so general in nature, that many patients intially do not pay attention to these signs. But in case these symptoms persist then it is highly recommended that you meet a specialist doctor and undergo the required tests. CT scan, MRI scan, PET scan, thoracoscopy and laparoscopy are among the several tests which are usually recommended for diagnosis.

High consumption of alcohol, tobacco and smoking are some of the major reasons for esophagus cancer. Also GERD – gastro esophageal reflux disease, swallowing of caustic materials as well as inclusion of betel nuts in the daily diet can also lead to this medical situation.

For more information on esophageal cancer visit www.manipalinternationalpatientcare.com or email at mipc@manipalhospitals.com