Esophageal cancer develops in the esophagus, which is the tube that connects your throat to your stomach. 肿瘤发生在食管的内壁粘膜.

食管癌有两种类型，每种类型都有不同的危险因素:

Adenocarcinoma

起源于食道底部腺体细胞的癌症被称为腺癌. This type of cancer is the most common esophageal cancer. It usually occurs closer to the stomach. Chronic acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), 巴雷特食管和慢性胃灼热会增加患腺癌的风险.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

这种类型的食管癌起源于主要位于食管上部的鳞状细胞. 鳞状细胞瘤与大量饮酒、吸烟和器官移植有关.

What causes esophageal cancer?

Factors that can increase your risk of esophageal cancer include:

• Smoking
• Heavy alcohol consumption
• Chronic heartburn or acid reflux
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Barrett’s esophagus, a condition that sometimes develops in people with GERD
• Achalasia, a rare disorder of muscles in the lower esophagus

What are the symptoms of esophageal cancer?

大多数食管癌的症状直到晚期才会被注意到，而晚期可能很难治疗. 食管癌的症状可能是由其他更常见的情况引起的. 如果你怀疑你可能有风险，从医生那里得到准确的诊断是很重要的.

Trouble Swallowing

The most common symptom of esophageal cancer is trouble swallowing, especially a feeling of food stuck in the chest. With some patients, choking on food also occurs. These symptoms gradually worsen over time, with an increase in pain when swallowing, as your esophagus narrows from the growing cancer.

如果你最近改变了你的饮食习惯，以避免吞咽困难，比如吃小口, 吃软的食物或者完全不吃固体食物——你可能会从医生的筛查评估中受益.

Chronic Chest Pain

如果你患有慢性胃灼热或胃食管反流病(GERD), 你已经很熟悉胸口中部像灼烧一样的疼痛了. 当食管癌发生时，这种痛苦的感觉可能会变得更加明显. 食管癌也可能在吞咽后几秒钟引起胸痛, when food or liquid reaches the site of the tumor in the esophagus.

Weight Loss Without Trying

大约50%的食管癌患者会经历无法解释的体重减轻. 这可能是由于吞咽问题或癌症引起的食欲下降而吃得少.

Persistent Coughing or Hoarseness

Developing a hoarse, 沙哑的声音或持续的咳嗽也可能表明食道癌的存在.

How is esophageal cancer diagnosed?

食管癌通常要到晚期才会被诊断出来, 因此，准确的诊断和分期过程对于获得最好的结果尤为重要. 胃肠病学家(专门研究消化系统疾病的医生)可能是第一个发现食管癌迹象的医生. If you experience any symptoms of esophageal cancer, it is important to seek treatment early when the cancer is treatable.

There are several types of tests to diagnose esophageal cancer. The most common tests are:

• Endoscopy with biopsy: Sometimes called an esophagogastroduodenoscopy 或EGD，这是医生检查食管癌时最常用的检查方法. 医生使用内窥镜(一种带有摄像头的柔性管，可以让医生看到你的身体内部)从异常区域提取组织样本(这也被称为活组织检查)。.
• Endoscopic ultrasonography如果你的活检结果显示癌症，你的医生可能会要求你做内窥镜超声检查(EUS)。. 这是检测食管癌最准确的成像方法之一. EUS combines two procedures to see within your esophagus:
  • Endoscopy在此期间，你的医生将一根细而亮的管子插入你的身体
  • Ultrasound, which uses high-frequency sound waves to obtain detailed images
• PET scan: A PET scan, or positron emission tomography, 技术被用来确定癌症是否已经扩散到食道以外的区域. PET扫描使用放射性染料在扫描过程中突出你身体的某些部位, so a doctor can see potentially cancerous areas to treat.

Other types of testing, which are less common, include:

• Barium swallow: A barium swallow, also called an esophagram, 在x光检查过程中，你喝下含钡的溶液，医生观察它是如何通过你的食道的.
• Video fluoroscopic swallowing exam: This test, also called a VFSE, is similar to a barium swallow. 当你吞咽时，医生会记录下你食道的数字影像. Learn more about fluoroscopy.
• Endoscopic confocal microscopy该技术使用激光技术，无需活检或病理检查即可提供即时结果.
• CT scan: A CT scan计算机断层扫描是一种成像测试，通常在癌症诊断后使用. 它可以让医生看到肿瘤的局部进展情况，或者肿瘤是否已经扩散到食道以外.

How is esophageal cancer treated?

食管癌的治疗是个体化的，以满足每个推荐十大正规网赌平台的独特需求. Treatment options include:

• Radiation therapy使用x射线、伽马射线和带电粒子来对抗癌症
• Chemotherapy: The use of anticancer drugs to treat cancerous cells
• 外科手术:用手术把癌变组织从体内移除

Combined Treatment for Esophageal Cancer

大多数食管癌的治疗方案包括联合治疗, which is when you receive a mix of radiation, chemotherapy or surgical treatments, instead of just one type of treatment.

• 新辅助治疗是治疗(通常是放疗和化疗)的结合，目的是在手术前缩小肿瘤并防止其复发.
• 化疗和放疗一起治疗可以阻止已经发展到原始肿瘤部位以外的微小肿瘤的扩散.
• 研究还表明，患者在手术前接受放疗和化疗比在手术后恢复得更快.

当制定最有效的治疗方案，为您的独特情况, your doctors will consider many factors including:

• The stage of your cancer when it is discovered
• Your overall health and nutrition levels
• The location of the tumor site
• Your personal preferences for different treatment options

How can I prevent esophageal cancer?

预防食管癌最有效的方法包括对你的整体健康有益的选择:

• Avoid tobacco and alcohol
• Eat a healthy diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Seek treatment for reflux and heartburn