As the name suggests, this malignancy occurs in the esophagus, which is the hollow and long tube running to the stomach from the throat. This tube helps move the food from the back of people’s throat to the stomach, being a helpful organ in the digestive process.
What is esophageal cancer? Esophageal cancer is a malignancy that usually forms in the cells of the organ, and it can form anywhere along the long, narrow tube.
When looking at statistics, esophagus tumors are more common in men. According to available data from the US, roughly one in 125 men will develop esophageal cancer in their lifetime. For women, the chances are one to 417.
When looking at global data, this malignancy is the sixth most common cancer. Still, esophagus tumor rates vary greatly geographically, leading experts to believe that the incidence correlates with certain nutritional habits, obesity, alcohol, and tobacco use.
This blog post will focus on the symptoms and causes of the malignancy. For esophageal cancer treatment options, feel free to schedule an appointment with us.
Also, reach out to Dr. Omar Rashid after reading the article if you have any further questions regarding esophageal cancer or oncology in general.
Esopgahus Tumor Symptoms
Signs of the malignancy may present themselves as:
- Weight loss even though the patient isn’t following any weight-watching program.
- Dysphagia, or difficulties with swallowing
- Heartburn and indigestion problems that get worse over time.
- Pressure, burning sensations in the chest, and frequent chest paint
- Hoarseness and coughing.
- Vomiting
- When cancer has spread to the bone, bone pain may also be a symptom
- Esophageal bleeding: the organ starts to bleed, and as the blood goes through the entirety of the digestive tract, it may turn the patient’s stool black. The blood loss that occurs over time may become so severe that it may lead to anemia, causing the patient to feel fatigued all the time.
Remember, having one or even more of these symptoms doesn’t mean that you have esophageal cancer. Some of these signs may indicate that you are dealing with entirely different conditions. Still, suppose you are experiencing them, especially if you have trouble swallowing. In that case, it’s imperative that you visit your doctor so they can rule out esophagus tumors as early as possible.
Below, we will investigate the most obvious symptoms that may help patients learn more about the warning signs of esophageal cancer.
Dysphagia or Trouble Swallowing
In the case of esophagus tumors, dysphagia or swallowing difficulties are the most common symptoms. Dysphagia may present itself as the feeling of the food being stuck either in the chest or the throat area. It may even cause the patient to choke on the food in more severe cases. Dysphagia starts mildly and gets more and more troubling as the tumor grows, taking over space in the esophagus.
The cancer of the esophagus often remains undetected because people often tend to make dietary changes due to the worsening dysphagia without even being aware of it. They either chew their food more or take smaller bites or even start eating foods that are easier to swallow and can pass the tumor with fewer problems.
These patients might start to avoid certain foods like meat and bread, which tend to get stuck in the pathway. The cancer of the esophagus may even drive patients to stop eating solid meals completely and makes them switch to a liquid-only diet.
If cancer remains untreated, even liquids can get hard to swallow.
Weight Loss
Patients with an esophagus tumor will often lose weight without having any such intentions. This most often happens as a result of the swallowing problems, which keep them from consuming enough food to keep their weight up. The malignancy may speed this process up by increasing the patient’s metabolism and reducing their appetite.
Chest Pain
Some patients may also experience discomfort or pain in the chest’s middle part. For others, the discomfort may present itself as a burning sensation or pressure.
Most often, these symptoms get dismissed because burning, pressure, and chest pain may be due to other problems, like heartburn.
Seeing a Doctor
If you are experiencing these symptoms and they persist, schedule a consultation with your doctor. In the event of being diagnosed with a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, your risk of developing the malignancy is higher. This is a precancerous condition, most often caused by problems with chronic acid reflux.
Esophageal cancer screenings may be a sensible option if you’ve been diagnosed with this precancerous condition. But before diving into it, discuss its advantages and disadvantages with your doctor.
Esophageal Cancer Causes
As of yet, experts aren’t exactly sure what causes the malignancy. The cancer usually develops when the organ’s cells undergo DNA mutations which make them divide and grow out of control. As these abnormal cells accumulate, they form a tumor in the esophagus. Eventually, the cancer can invade other organs and nearby structures.
Esophageal Cancer Types
These malignancies are categorized differently, based on the cells they form in. By classifying the malignancy like this, experts will be able to determine treatment options more effectively.
Generally, doctors differentiate three types of esophageal cancer cases:
- Squamous cell carcinoma: These are thin and flat cells on the esophagus surface. This type of malignancy most often happens in the middle or upper parts of the organ, and this is the most common type of esophageal cancer globally.
- Adenocarcinoma: This malignancy develops in the mucus-secreting gland cells of the organ. This carcinoma will occur in the esophagus’ lower portion. As a matter of fact, this type of esophageal cancer is the most prevalent in the US, primarily affecting white males.
- Other rare forms: small cell carcinoma, lymphoma, choriocarcinoma, sarcoma, and melanoma may also occur in the esophagus in some cases.
Esophageal Cancer Risk Factors
Some experts believe that chronic irritation in the organ may contribute to the development of the condition. Most often than not, these factors, conditions, and lifestyle choices are linked closest to the development of the malignancy:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Barret’s esophagus
- Having bile reflux
- Experiencing swallowing difficulties because of the esophageal sphincter that won’t relax
- Drinking hot liquids often
- A diet poor in fruits and vegetables
- Radiation treatment
Cancer Prevention
While prevention is nearly impossible, people can take a few steps to dramatically reduce their risk of developing cancer. For example, they can:
- Quit drinking or consuming alcohol in moderation: You don’t have to stop drinking completely. However, this means no more than two drinks a day for healthy males and one for healthy females.
- Quit smoking: Talk to your doctor about different quitting strategies and medications that may make the process more bearable.
- Opt for a healthier diet: Eat more vegetables and fruits.
- Keep your weight within healthy limits: if you have problems with excess body fat, discuss different weight-loss strategies with your doctor and aim for a program that enables you to lose weight steadily.
Learn more About the Condition
As mentioned before, some of the symptoms we’ve discussed above may actually signal other health problems. If these signs are persistent and get worse over time, schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.
Also, if you have any more questions and concerns regarding detection and treatment, feel free to contact our practice and schedule a consultation.