If the biopsy shows that you have cancer, your doctor needs to learn the
extent (stage) of the disease to help you choose the best treatment.
Staging is a careful attempt to find out the following
how deeply the cancer invades the walls of the esophagus
whether the cancer invades nearby tissues
whether the cancer has spread, and if so, to what parts of the body
When
esophageal cancer spreads, it's often found in nearby lymph nodes. If cancer has
reached these nodes, it may also have spread to other lymph nodes, the bones, or
other organs. Also, esophageal cancer may spread to the liver and lungs.
Your doctor may order one or more of the following staging tests:
Endoscopic ultrasound: The doctor passes a thin, lighted tube (endoscope)
down your throat, which has been numbed with anesthetic. A probe at the end of
the tube sends out sound waves that you can't hear. The waves bounce off tissues
in your esophagus and nearby organs. A computer creates a picture from the
echoes. The picture can show how deeply the cancer has invaded the wall of the
esophagus. The doctor may use a needle to take tissue samples of lymph nodes.
CT scan: An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed
pictures of your chest and abdomen. Doctors use CT scans to look for esophageal
cancer that has spread to lymph nodes and other areas. You may receive contrast
material by mouth or by injection into a blood vessel. The contrast material
makes abnormal areas easier to see.
MRI: A strong magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures
of areas inside your body. An MRI can show whether cancer has spread to lymph
nodes or other areas. Sometimes contrast material is given by injection into
your blood vessel. The contrast material makes abnormal areas show up more
clearly on the picture.
PET scan: You receive an injection of a small amount of radioactive sugar.
The radioactive sugar gives off signals that the PET scanner picks up. The PET
scanner makes a picture of the places in your body where the sugar is being
taken up. Cancer cells show up brighter in the picture because they take up
sugar faster than normal cells do. A PET scan shows whether esophageal cancer
may have spread.
Bone scan: You get an injection of a small amount of a radioactive substance.
It travels through the bloodstream and collects in the bones. A machine called a
scanner detects and measures the radiation. The scanner makes pictures of the
bones. The pictures may show cancer that has spread to the bones.
Laparoscopy: After you are given general anesthesia, the surgeon makes small
incisions (cuts) in your abdomen. The surgeon inserts a thin, lighted tube
(laparoscope) into the abdomen. Lymph nodes or other tissue samples may be
removed to check for cancer cells.
Sometimes staging is not complete until after
surgery to remove the cancer and nearby lymph nodes.
When cancer spreads from its original place to another part of the body, the
new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary
tumor. For example, if esophageal cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells
in the liver are actually esophageal cancer cells. The disease is metastatic
esophageal cancer, not liver cancer. For that reason, it's treated as esophageal
cancer, not liver cancer. Doctors call the new tumor "distant" or metastatic
disease.
These are the stages of esophageal cancer:
Stage 0: Abnormal cells are found only in the inner layer of the esophagus.
It's called carcinoma in situ.
Stage I: The cancer has grown through the inner layer to the submucosa. (The
picture shows the submucosa and other layers.)
Stage II is one of the following:
The cancer has grown through the inner
layer to the submucosa, and cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes.
Or, the
cancer has invaded the muscle layer. Cancer cells may be found in lymph nodes.
Or, the cancer has grown through the outer layer of the esophagus.
Stage III is one of the following:
The cancer has grown through the outer
layer, and cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes.
Or, the cancer has invaded
nearby structures, such as the airways. Cancer cells may have spread to lymph
nodes.
Stage IV: Cancer cells have spread to distant organs, such as the liver.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which the acidified liquid
contents of the stomach backs up into the esophagus. The symptoms of uncomplicated GERD are heartburn,
regurgitation, and nausea. Effective treatment is available for most patients with GERD.
Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Treatment of chronic cough is dependant upon the cause.
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law.
Chest pain is a common complaint by a patient in the ER. Causes of chest pain include broken or bruised ribs, pleurisy, pneumothorax, shingles, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, angina, heart attack, costochondritis, pericarditis, aorta or aortic dissection, and reflux esophagitis. Diagnosis and treatment of chest pain depends upon the cause and clinical presentation of the patient's chest pain.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing, swallowing problems. Dysphagia is due to problems in nerve or muscle control. It is common, for example, after a stroke. Dysphagia compromises nutrition and hydration and may lead to aspiration pneumonia and dehydration.
Esophagitis is caused by an infection or irritation of the esophagus. Infections that cause esophagitis include candida yeast infection of the esophagus as well as herpes.
Barrett's esophagus occurs as a complication of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), primarily in white males. GERD refers to the reflux of acidic fluid from the stomach into the esophagus (the swallowing tube), and is classically associated with heartburn.
Obesity is the state of being well above one's normal weight. A person has traditionally been
considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent over their ideal weight.
That ideal weight must take into account the person's height, age, sex, and
build.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Achalasia is a disease of the esophagus that mainly affects young adults. Abnormal function of nerves and muscles of the esophagus causes difficulty swallowing and sometimes chest pain.
Schatzki (Schatzki's) ring, is a narrow ring of tissue located just above the junction of the esophagus and stomach. The cause of Schatzki ring is not clearly known, however, some doctors believe they are caused by long term acid reflux. The symptoms of a Schatzki ring is primarily poorly chewed food that stays in chunks becoming stuck in the esophagus. Diagnosis of Schatzki's ring is barium x-ray or endoscopy. Treatment is generally a procedure to stretch or fracture the rings.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Heartburn is a burning sensation experienced from acid reflux (GERD). Symptoms of heartburn include chest pain, burning in the throat, difficulty swallowing, the feeling of food sticking in the throat, and a burning feeling in the chest. Causes of heartburn include dietary habits, lifestyle habits, and medical causes. Treatments for heartburn include lifestyle changes, OTC medication, prescription medication, and surgery.
Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
Asbestos exposure lung disease is divided into three main types, asbestosis (lung scarring caused by asbestos fibers), disease of the lining of the lung (pleural plaques, scarring, or fluid accumulation), and lung cancer. Mesothelioma is cancer of the lining of the lung caused by asbestos exposure. Cancers of the larynx, throat, kidney, esophagus, and gallbladder have been linked to asbestos exposure. Treatment is dependant upon the type of condition related to asbestos exposure.
Acid backing up into the larynx (voice box), it causes reflux laryngitis. Irritation of the lining of the esophagus, larynx, and throat can lead to esophagitis, sinusitis, strictures, hoarseness, throat clearing, swallowing problems, asthma, chronic cough, and more. Typical symptoms of reflux laryngitis include heartburn, hoarseness, or a sensation of a foreign body in the throat. Reflux laryngitis can be treated with OTC medication, prescription medication, and lifestyle changes.
Smokeless tobacco can have negative health effects such as cancers, poor oral health (gum disease and tooth decay), infertility, pregnancy complications, and nicotine addiction.
Disease prevention in men includes routine screening tests that are part of basic prevention medicine. Take an active role in your own health care and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life. Age of screening and timing of screening depends upon the condition being assessed.
Cancer RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the