Esophageal cancer doesn’t always cause signs and symptoms, especially in earlier stages. As of right now, there is no screening test to detect esophageal cancer at its earliest stages.
When signs and symptoms appear, you might experience one or more of the following:
The earlier esophageal cancer is found, the better chance of recovery. However, because there is often a lack of symptoms early on, esophageal cancer isn’t usually diagnosed until it has reached an advanced stage.
Your doctor may perform one or more of the following procedures and tests to determine if esophageal cancer is present.
If cancer is suspected, a biopsy is likely to be performed during the esophagoscopy. This involves the removal of tissue from the area that is believed to be cancerous. The cells are then viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to determine if cancer is present.
If cancer is present, additional images or other tests may be needed to see if the cancer has grown outside of the esophagus or spread to lymph nodes. This is part of the staging process.
There are several different types of treatment available for patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Some treatments are standard and commonly used, while others are being tested in clinical trials. Based on each patient’s specific case, the treatments for esophageal cancer will vary but may include: surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy. A combination of these treatment types may be used in your care plan.
The type of surgery commonly performed to remove the cancerous part of the esophagus is called an esophagectomy. This removes a portion of the esophagus where the cancer is located. The surgeon then reconnects the esophagus to the stomach using either a section of intestine or a plastic tube.
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy X-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. It can be used before surgery to shrink the tumor first and it can be used after surgery to be sure all of the cancer cells in the area have been killed. The most common type of radiation therapy used for esophageal cancer is external beam radiation, which is radiation therapy given from a machine outside the body.
At Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia, we typically use intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) — an advanced form of external beam radiation treatment that precisely targets tumor cells while avoiding other organs and tissue nearby. It also makes it possible for the radiation oncologist to vary the intensity of some of the beams of radiation to focus more carefully in some areas than in others.
When radiation treatment is given directly inside the body, it is called internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy. For esophageal cancer, this involves temporarily inserting a radioactive wire into the esophagus using an endoscope. Brachytherapy can be given 2 ways, either high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy or low-dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy.
If your suggested treatment plan includes radiation therapy, it’s important to carefully consider where you will receive treatments. When choosing our clinics, you will have a dedicated team of radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, and support team members to help you along your esophageal cancer journey. The RCOG team is conveniently throughout the Atlanta area, with locations in Blairsville, Conyers, Covington, Decatur, and Snellville. Request an appointment online today to see one of our radiation specialists.
