Cancer of the Esophagus

Abstract

Esophageal cancer is classified histologically as squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma. 1 2. Worldwide, squamous cell carcinoma is the more common type of cancer of the esophagus. 3. The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has been rising in the developed nations, apparently due to its association with gastroesophageal reflux disease, obesity and Barrett's esophagus. 4. Squamous cell carcinoma is more common in a setting of tobacco and alcohol use. 5. The tissue diagnosis of esophageal carcinoma is made by endoscopy with biopsy. 6. Staging workup is classically performed using endoscopy and/or barium swallow under fluoroscopy, CT and PET/CT. 7. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor node metastasis (TNM) classification system is used to stage esophageal cancer. 8. Multimodality treatment for local control and palliation is almost always indicated if the patient is able to tolerate it. Most esophageal carcinomas present at a fairly advanced stage because symptoms occur late in many patients, but early diagnosis improves outcomes. 1 9. The prognosis for most patients with esophageal cancer remains poor. Treatment is often focused on symptom relief.