Esophageal cancer can cause severe health ramifications to individuals affected by this dangerous disease. Such a medical condition can cause people to become an emaciated version of themselves, unable to even talk or eat properly. Given the gravity and seriousness of this horrible disease, protecting oneself from the symptoms of esophageal cancer and having them looked at by a doctor as soon as possible are prudent steps one should take.

In this article, you will learn more about esophageal cancer, its warning symptoms, and its eventual treatment:

What is Esophageal Cancer?
When malignant cells begin to form in the tissues of the esophagus, the cancer of this organ comes into being. Esophageal cancer usually starts in the inner layer of the esophagus wall and eventually grows outward through other layers. This cancer is categorized into two primary types:

Squamous cell carcinoma
When squamous cells in the esophagus begin to abnormally multiply, it is a case of squamous cell carcinoma. Although this cancer can appear anywhere along the esophagus, it is most common in the upper and middle sections.

Adenocarcinoma
The glandular tissue present in the lower half of the esophagus is affected by this type of esophageal cancer.

As far as esophageal cancer treatment is concerned, the approaches required for both types are similar. Other rarer forms of esophageal cancer include small cell carcinoma, lymphoma, and sarcoma.

Early signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer
Like any other type of cancer, it is imperative that esophagus cancer is also discovered as soon as possible in order to enable successful treatment. As such, here are four major esophagus cancer signs that should never be ignored:

Dysphagia
Dysphagia is the name given to a condition where the affected individual has difficulty swallowing food. For many, dysphagia is one of the earliest symptoms of esophageal cancer. Patients can find swallowing solid food immensely painful and uncomfortable, and in some extreme cases, they are unable to swallow any food at all.

Chest Pains
Pains and discomfort in the chest are also considered early esophagus cancer signs, though there can be other reasons for such pains. Generally, cancer-related chest pains are chronic in nature as the tumor applies constant pressure to the affected individual’s chest area, resulting in pain and discomfort. By conducting relevant tests, only doctors can determine if the pain is a cancer-related sign.

Hoarseness and coughing
Esophageal tumors can press up against the vocal cords and squeeze them, causing persistent hoarseness in the throat. The constant itchy feeling in the throat can also cause chronic bouts of coughing. In some advanced cases, patients have also been known to cough up blood.

Weight Loss
When it comes to any form of cancer, unintentional loss of body mass is considered to be one of the most common and early signs. And the symptoms of esophageal cancer are no different. In a study, it was found that 57% to 85% of patients with esophageal cancer experience loss of body mass before surgery. Although the concerned study was conducted on a controlled group, it is generally accepted that approximately 50% do undergo unintentional weight loss, mostly due to problems while swallowing food.

Esophageal cancer treatment
There are various types of treatments available to patients suffering from esophageal cancer. While some of these treatments are currently being used, others are still being clinically tested. The most common types of standard treatment in current practice are,

Surgery
Surgery is considered to be the most common type of esophageal cancer treatment. As part of such a surgery, the infected section of a patient’s esophagus can be removed and then reconstructed in a procedure known as esophagectomy.

Radiation therapy
This treatment option for Radiation therapy makes use of x-rays, gamma rays, and similar high-energy, charged particles to shrink or blast away esophageal tumors. Radiation therapy is often debated whether to be an effective form of esophageal cancer treatment or not, as it has many radiation-related side effects.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is also a commonly adopted type of esophageal cancer treatment. During chemotherapy, prescriptions that fight cancerous cells are administered to the patient either orally or by injection. This treatment option targets malignant cells by either destroying them or stopping them from dividing further.

Miscellaneous Treatments
There are various other treatments for esophageal cancer available, such as endoscopic laser therapy, photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, and electrocoagulation. However, as compared to the three major types of treatment, namely surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, these treatments are not as effective for esophageal cancer.

To protect yourself from esophageal cancer, recognizing the early signs and symptoms is essential . If these signs are discovered on time, esophageal cancer symptoms can be treated with some degree of success. With the passage of time, these symptoms can get out of hand easily, thus requiring more intensive and sustained treatments. So, always keep an eye on the symptoms mentioned in this article, and if you happen to experience any one of these early signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer, get in touch with your doctor at once.