Esophageal Cancer: Final Project

Esophageal Cancer –Final Project
Deborah Denise Kane
Virginia College C-18
PRN 1325

Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer is a malignant cancerous tumor that forms in the tissue lining the esophagus; the esophagus is a muscular tube that moves food from the mouth to the stomach. It is more common in male patients over the age of 60, who were or are heavy smokers or tobacco users, heavy drinkers, and are overweight. It is thought to affect African Americans more in the United States than Caucasians. The mortality rate for African Americans continues to be higher than that of Caucasians. In 2012 there have been 17,460 new cases and an estimated 15,070 death so far. There are two major types of esophageal cancer: squamous cell carcinoma
The Barium Swallow test where a patient swallows a liquid mixture while at an x-ray machine. The barium is opaque to the x-ray therefore allowing narrowing in the esophagus to be shown in pictures. The Endoscopy is a medical instrument that consists of a narrow flexible tube with a light and camera at the end in which it is used to look into the esophagus. It may also be equipped with a small attachment to take a sample or biopsy of the esophageal tissue. A biopsy is the removal of cells or tissue for the examination by a pathologist. The patient is usually slightly sedated. Next there is the PET scan or the Positron Emission Tomography Scan this is where the patient is given a dose of glucose that is altered so it is radioactive. Tumor cells require much more sugar in the form of glucose for energy than normal cells in the body. After receiving the glucose the patient usually is instructed to wait about an hour, this giving the cells in the body time to absorb large amounts of glucose before the scan. The PET scanner is able to locate where in the body there is an excess of radioactive glucose and where there are likely to be tumor cells. The radioactivity rapidly decays, so that it does not cause any lasting effects on the
The treatment is determined by the cellular type of cancer, the stage of the disease, the general condition of the patient and if other diseases are present. Surgery would include but not be limited to an esophageal stent that may be inserted to widen the esophagus and place a metal tube or stent to hold the esophagus open. A nasogastric tube may be necessary to continue feeding the patient while treatment for the tumor is given. An esophagectomy is a minimally invasive surgery used to remove part of or the entire esophagus. After the esophagus is removed it is rebuilt from part of the stomach or large intestine. There’s also laser therapy, its use of high intensity light destroys tumor cells and only treats the affected area. This is typically done if the cancer cannot be removed by surgery. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill cancer cells and depends on the tumor type, and may be given after surgery to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. Chemotheraputic agents such as cisplatin (Platinol), paclitaxel (taxol), and fluorouracil (5-FU) are currently used in combination with radiation before and after surgery. Radiotherapy which uses high powered energy beams to kill cancer cells and can be given before, during or after chemotherapy or surgery and sometimes on its own to control