Thoracic Oncology Program

Esophageal Cancer

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What is Esophageal Cancer?

The esophagus is the hollow tube that carries food and liquid from the throat to the stomach. Cancer of the esophagus is a disease in which cancerous (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the esophagus.

The most common sign of cancer of the esophagus is difficulty swallowing. A person with esophageal cancer may feel pain when swallowing or may feel pain behind the breastbone.

If a patient has symptoms of esophageal cancer, a doctor will usually do a special x-ray called a barium swallow. For this test, the patient drinks a liquid containing barium, which makes the esophagus easier to see in the x-ray. This test is usually done in a doctor's office.

A doctor may also look at the inside of the esophagus with a thin, lighted tube called an esophagoscope. This test is called an esophagoscopy. For the test, the esophagoscope is passed through the mouth and down the throat into the esophagus. Before the test, a local anesthetic (a substance that causes temporary loss of feeling) is applied to the throat so that the patient will not feel pain. This test is usually done in a doctor's office.

If the doctor sees tissue that does not look normal, he or she will remove a small piece of tissue so that it can be looked at under a microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy. Biopsies are usually done during the esophagoscopy while the anesthetic is still working, so that the patient does not feel pain. Sometimes a biopsy shows changes in the esophagus that are not cancer but may lead to cancer.

The chance of recovery (prognosis) from cancer of the esophagus and the choice of treatment for the disease depend on the stage of the cancer (whether it is just in the esophagus or has spread to other places) and the patient's general state of health.

This page was last updated on: November 6, 2008.