Reviewed By:
Robin Schoenthaler, MD (Oncology)
Board certified radiation oncologist with over 30 years experience treating cancer patients. Senior physician advisor for expert medical options in adult oncology. Published award-winning essayist on medical and health issues and more.
Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)
Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Cancer of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach). The primary symptom is worsening trouble with swallowing or a feeling that something is stuck in the food tube. Sometimes people have weight loss and fatigue as well. It is diagnosed when a doctor, usually a gastroenterologist, puts a tube with a camera down the throat while the patient is sleeping and takes a biopsy of any abnormality they see in the esophagus. Once the cancer has been diagnosed by biopsy, CT scans, PET scans and MRIs may be ordered as well. Known risk factors include alcohol, smoking, a condition called "Barrett esophagus," gastric acid reflux and age.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
This disease should be treated by a multi-disciplinary team of doctors working together to come up with the best plan that can integrate possible surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or a combination of these and in various orders and at varying times. Treatment plans vary on the size and location of the tumor, the involvement of nearby lymph nodes, and the overall condition of the patient.
Huang FL, Yu SJ. Esophageal cancer: Risk factors, genetic association, and treatment. Asian J Surg. 2018 May;41(3):210-215. doi: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2016.10.005. Epub 2016 Dec 13. PMID: 27986415.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1015958416302019?via%3DihubShort MW, Burgers KG, Fry VT. Esophageal Cancer. Am Fam Physician. 2017 Jan 1;95(1):22-28. PMID: 28075104.
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2017/0101/p22.htmlDomper Arnal MJ, Ferrández Arenas Á, Lanas Arbeloa Á. Esophageal cancer: Risk factors, screening and endoscopic treatment in Western and Eastern countries. World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Jul 14;21(26):7933-43. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i26.7933. PMID: 26185366; PMCID: PMC4499337.
https://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v21/i26/7933.htmKato H, Nakajima M. Treatments for esophageal cancer: a review. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2013 Jun;61(6):330-5. doi: 10.1007/s11748-013-0246-0. Epub 2013 Apr 9. PMID: 23568356.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11748-013-0246-0Kelly RJ. Emerging Multimodality Approaches to Treat Localized Esophageal Cancer. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2019 Aug 1;17(8):1009-1014. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2019.7337. PMID: 31390584.
https://jnccn.org/view/journals/jnccn/17/8/article-p1009.xmlMale, 30s
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My experience was great. I was worried, but the symptom checker helped me narrow down what it might be. I feel a little relieved compared to when I first started, and it gives me a starting point for what my symptoms could mean.
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I was actually very impressed with the results it provided because, although I didn’t mention it during the questionnaire because I thought it was unrelated, it suggested I may have something I’ve actually been diagnosed with in the past.
(Sep 25, 2024)
Reviewed By:
Robin Schoenthaler, MD (Oncology)
Board certified radiation oncologist with over 30 years experience treating cancer patients. Senior physician advisor for expert medical options in adult oncology. Published award-winning essayist on medical and health issues and more.
Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)
Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.
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