Common Symptoms of Esophageal Cancer

ByMelissa B Hernandez

Esophageal cancer is typically a carcinoma that develops in the epithelium, or surface layer, of the esophagus. This type of cancer is most easily diagnosed through a series of tests including endoscopy, PET and CT scans. Esophageal cancer symptoms, unfortunately in a majority of cases, only become pronounced enough for the patient to see their doctor when the disease is in the latter stages of development.

Classifications

The overwhelming majority of esophageal cancers can be classified into one of two categories for the purposes of diagnosis, squamos cell and adenocarcinoma. As an informal general rule, the squamos cell version of the disease occurs in the upper two-thirds of the esophagus, while the adenocarcinoma occurs in the lower one-third.

Esophageal Cancer Symptoms

In the latter stages of the disease, when the patient begins to recognize a problem, esophageal cancer symptoms can present themselves in an obvious manner. Initial symptoms include odynophagia, or pain when swallowing, or dysphagia, difficulty swallowing. Difficulty swallowing is generally the first noticeable symptom that presents itself.

Pain, very similar to heartburn, can present as severe and will worsen when the patient attempts to swallow any but the softest of foods or fluids. This pain is present almost daily, with little to no relief from common heartburn medications. Another symptom in proximity to the throat is a husky or raspy cough, which is a result of the cancer advancing on the laryngeal nerve.

The tumor(s) may produce, in some patients, additional symptoms. The esophageal cancer symptoms can include vomiting blood, nausea, lack of appetite and rapid weight loss, along with an increased risk of contracting aspiration related pneumonia.

When are Symptoms Diagnosed

In a majority of esophageal cancer patients, unless the disease is detected in the early stages through a full physical or cancer screening, symptoms are not significant enough to see their doctor until the tumor involved is fairly significant in size. Normally, symptoms present themselves in a significant way only after approximately half of the esophagus is restricted, or blocked.

Additional complications that may arise from a late stage diagnosis of esophageal cancer include metastasis into other organs and body parts. Esophageal cancer most commonly metastasizes into the liver, lung or lymph nodes. Once metastasis has occurred with the disease, it is much more difficult to treat effectively.

Prognosis for Esophageal Cancer Patients

The prognosis for patients is far lower than the survival rates for some other types of cancer. This is most commonly due to the fact patients only present themselves for diagnosis once symptoms are present, which generally only occurs late in the disease. The percentages for survival depend on the stage the cancer is initially treated in and whether the cancer has metastasized into structures outside the esophagus. The approximate overall five year survival rate for patients who present with esophageal cancer symptoms is 15% and a large number of patients do not survive the first year after diagnosis.

Are you worried or concerned about ongoing illness or symptoms suffered by you or a loved one? Worried it could be more serious?

You should obviously consult a doctor to have a professional diagnosis administered. However our website has articles on all types of on cancer symptoms. Learn more about the common Bowel cancer symptoms and many more variants of cancer.

Get informed and keep you and your loved ones one step ahead of the dreaded 'Big C'.

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Posted in: cancer,Common,Esophageal,Symptoms