Esophageal Cancer »
What is the esophagus?
The esophagus is a hollow tube that carries food and liquids from the throat
to the stomach. When a person swallows, the muscular walls of the esophagus
contract to push food down into the stomach. Glands in the lining of the
esophagus produce mucus, which keeps the passageway moist and makes swallowing
easier. The esophagus is located just behind the trachea (windpipe). In an
adult, the esophagus is about 10 inches long.
What is cancer?
Cancer is a disease that
affects cells, the body's basic unit of life. To understand any type of cancer,
it is helpful to know about normal cells and what happens when they become
cancerous.
The body is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow, divide, and
produce more cells when they are needed. This process keeps the body healthy and
functioning properly. Sometimes, however, cells keep dividing when new cells are
not needed....
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I was 25 when I was first diagnosed with achalasia. It began with difficulty swallowing and progressed to migraine headaches. My initial doctors knew right away what was happening in my esophagus and said I would be a good candidate for a Heller Myotomy with a fundoplication wrap which is a surgery to slice the sphincter muscle and wrap it around my stomach so that the sphincter remains open to allow the passage of food. While the surgery is costly, the effects are phenominal. I was a good candidate for the Heller Myotomy with fundoplication wrap because of my age, health, and active lifestyle. After three years of passing out, loosing considerable amounts of weight (down from 120 to 80 pounds and very unhealthy) and awful migraines, a gastroenterologist began with a Botox treatment that allowed me to last for two weeks. (I was too far gone for balloon dilation.) Then, I had the surgery. This surgery saved my life. I am a certified teacher, a mother, and a survivor of achalasia. While I still have the achalasia, I can now swallow and digest food because my sphincter is permanently open. I have a whole new respect for food and healthy living! Published: December 04 ::