Esophageal Cancer Symptoms
Esophageal cancer symptoms are the first way to identify esophageal cancer. It is a dangerous disease, which affects the esophagus. The esophagus performs functions like swallowing food, breathing, and speaking correctly. Early detection of this cancer allows curing it successfully.
Symptoms of Esophageal Cancer:
Esophageal cancer symptoms depend on the type of esophageal carcinoma that means a squamous cell or intestinal cell carcinoma. Few other types include adenocarcinoma, lymphomas, melanomas, etc.
However, the following are a few signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer:
– Indigestion problem
– Difficulties in swallowing food are among the most common esophageal cancer symptoms.
– Swallowing blood with food, then you should consult a doctor immediately.
– Pain in the upper abdomen area that may spread up to the chest or throat is also an early symptom of esophageal cancer.
– Hoarseness while speaking is one of the common signs of this cancer. It happens because of the formation of cancer cells in the vocal cords and larynx (voicebox). People often lose their voice entirely after undergoing treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc.- Nausea, vomiting, and excessive salivation are other esophagus cancer signs.- A sore throat can be a sign that indicates trouble swallowing.- An abrupt change in taste is quite common among patients suffering from esophageal cancer signs.
Difficulty breathing, wheezing, and shortness of breath are other esophagus cancer signs.- Weight loss is one of the most common esophageal cancer symptoms: stomach, upper body, and chest pain.
Sores that do not heal usually are also early warning indicators of this dangerous cancer. You should contact your doctor if you have had any of these sores for more than a week.- Low blood count Sometimes, the level of white cells may be low due to the formation of tumors on lymph nodes.
It can cause problems like fever, bone pain, etc.- Constant inflammation of the throat is also an indicator of this type of disease.- Bleeding from the stomach or rectum is a pretty common symptom among patients with intestinal cancer. So you should contact your doctor if you have this symptom.
– Foul breath is one of the other symptoms of this dangerous disease.
Esophageal cancer treatment:
The treatment of esophageal cancer depends mainly on the extent of cancer and the location of tumors. Some cases may be treated with surgery, while others need chemotherapy and radiation therapy for better results. Chemotherapy is further categorized as:
– Palliative chemotherapy is used to reduce pain and improve the quality of life. It does not cure this disease entirely but helps to improve symptoms.- Curative Chemotherapy helps cure this type of cancer fully. Treatment with chemoradiation is given along with chemotherapy for better results. Sometimes medications like Avastin are also prescribed in these treatments.
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy:
This treatment is proper when the big tumor size or lymph nodes are affected badly. It is given to shrink tumor size. Patients who cannot tolerate surgery have also suggested this type of treatment before surgery.- Adjuvant chemotherapy is given after surgery. It reduces the chance of recurrence and increases the disease-free survival rate.
Esophageal Cancer Prevention:
There is no definite method for the prevention of esophageal cancer. However, you should always try your best to prevention from liver damage, low blood supply, etc. by making some changes in your daily lifestyle as follows:
– Reduce smoking as it irritates the esophagus, which leads to the development of cancers.- Stop drinking alcohol if you frequently have problems with alcohol intake.- Take medications on time so that medicines can work effectively. Avoid excessive intake of calcium supplements.
– You should have a proper diet to keep your body healthy. Have foods rich in Vitamin C, E, A, and Selenium.- Avoid eating processed meat. It may contain cancer-causing agents, which significantly increase the esophageal cancer risk.- You should try to avoid constipation by taking high fiber food items. Try hot fomentation for reducing constipation.
Stage 1 esophageal cancer symptoms:
– Heartburn lasting more than three weeks;
– A change in your regular bowel habits;
– Weight loss, malnutrition, and anemia (symptoms of advanced stomach cancer);
stage 2 esophageal cancer symptoms:
– A feeling of a lump or thickening in your throat or neck;
– Difficulty swallowing and weight loss;
stage 3 esophageal cancer symptoms:
– Difficulties eating and drinking, as well as pain at the back of the throat;
– Ulcers, fistulas, and bleeding from the throat;
stage 4 esophageal cancer symptoms:
– Blocked airways due to an advanced tumor on the windpipe (trachea) and may suffocate themself.
Esophageal cancer stages:
– Stage I occurs in the epithelial cells that line the inside of your thoracic esophagus or upper portion of your digestive tract. The tumors are typically noninvasive and slow-growing.
– Stage II is when cancer has spread to nearby lymph tissue, but it hasn’t invaded nearby organs or tissues. It’s also not known if it has spread beyond nearby lymph nodes.
– Stage III is when tumors invade nearby tissues or organs around your esophagi, such as your carotid artery, trachea (windpipe), blood vessels, thyroid gland, larynx (voice box), or bones around your spine. Cancer cells have also likely begun to grow in lymph nodes in your neck.
– Stage IV is when tumors have grown into the tissues or organs near your esophagus, have spread to distant lymph nodes or other parts of the body, or are beginning to cause symptoms.
Esophageal cancer stages:
– Surgery is also an option when the early disease can be obliterated, and there’s good evidence the remaining esophagus will work well after healing has occurred. But this isn’t always possible in people with advanced diseases. Also, surgery is sometimes used along with chemo or radiotherapy in cases where swallowing is complicated or food is trapped in the esophagus.
– Chemoradiation therapy may be used to shrink large tumors before surgery, but this isn’t done if cancer has spread into nearby tissues or organs. Also, surgery is not usually recommended for people with a distant spread of disease, although it’s sometimes used when only a tiny portion of the esophagus needs to be removed.
Esophageal cancer treatment:
– Because esophagus cancer tends to spread rapidly, most people seek treatment as soon as possible. In most cases, treatment is successful if it’s begun early.
– If you have esophageal cancer that has spread beyond your esophagus or associated lymph nodes, your physician will help recommend a treatment plan to target the cancer cells.
– One of the primary treatment goals for a nonmetastatic disease is to cure you of cancer, so no further treatments are needed. Treatment helps relieve symptoms and prolong life by months or years for metastatic disease. radiation therapy:-
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. You may receive radiation treatments once every day, five days a week for 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the stage of your esophageal cancer. Or you may receive daily therapies Monday through Friday with weekends and holidays off.