Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) uses high-energy rays to kill
cancer cells. It affects cells only in the treated area.
Radiation therapy may be used before or after surgery. Or it may be used
instead of surgery. Radiation therapy is usually given with chemotherapy to
treat esophageal cancer.
Doctors use two types of radiation therapy to treat esophageal cancer. Some
people receive both types:
External radiation therapy: The radiation comes from a large machine outside
the body. The machine aims radiation at your cancer. You may go to a hospital or
clinic for treatment. Treatments are usually 5 days a week for several weeks.
Internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy): The doctor numbs your throat with
an anesthetic spray and gives you medicine to help you relax. The doctor puts a
tube into your esophagus. The radiation comes from the tube. Once the tube is
removed, no radioactivity is left in your body. Usually, only a single treatment
is done.
Side effects depend mainly on the dose and type of radiation. External
radiation therapy to the chest and abdomen may cause a sore throat, pain similar
to heartburn, or pain in the stomach or the intestine. You may have nausea and
diarrhea. Your health care team can give you medicines to prevent or control
these problems.
Also, your skin in the treated area may become red, dry, and tender. You may
lose hair in the treated area. A much less common side effect of radiation
therapy aimed at the chest is harm to the lung, heart, or spinal cord.
You are likely to be very tired during radiation therapy, especially in the
later weeks of external radiation therapy. You may also continue to feel very
tired for a few weeks after radiation therapy is completed. Resting is
important, but doctors usually advise patients to try to stay as active as they
can.
Radiation therapy can lead to problems with swallowing. For example,
sometimes radiation therapy can harm the esophagus and make it painful for you
to swallow. Or, the radiation may cause the esophagus to narrow. Before
radiation therapy, a plastic tube may be inserted into the esophagus to keep it
open. If radiation therapy leads to a problem with swallowing, it may be hard to
eat well. Ask your health care team for help getting good nutrition. See the
Nutrition section for more information.
You may want to ask your doctor these questions before having radiation
therapy:
Which type of radiation therapy can I consider? Are both types an option for
me?
When will treatment start? When will it end? How often will I have
treatments?
Will I need to stay in the hospital?
What can I do to take care of myself before, during, and after treatment?
How will I feel during treatment? Will I be able to drive myself to and from
treatment?
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.
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