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Esophageal cancer - Overview

Alternative Names

Cancer - esophagus

Definition of Esophageal cancer:

Esophageal cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor of the esophagus, the muscular tube that moves food from the mouth to the stomach.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Esophageal cancer is relatively uncommon in the United States, and occurs most often in men over 50 years old. It affects less than 5 in 100,000 people. There are two main types of esophageal cancer --squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. These two types look different from each other under the microscope.

Squamous cell esophageal cancer is associated with smoking and alcohol consumption. The rate of this disease in the United States has remained mostly the same, while the rate of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus has risen dramatically.

Barrett's esophagus, a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a risk factor for the development of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

Risk factors for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus include male gender, obesity, poor nutrition, and smoking.

Digestive system

Heartburn prevention

Reviewed last on: 4/8/2008
Mark Levin, MD, Hematologist and Oncologist, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Kleinberg LR, Forastier AA, Heitmiller RF. Cancer of the esophagus. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKena WG, eds. Clinical Oncology. 3rd ed. Orlando, Fl: Churchill Livingstone; 2004; chapt 77.