Esophageal Cancer: Causes and Treatment
Esophageal cancer is a type of cancer that affects the esophagus, a long, hollow tube connecting the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer typically starts in the cells that lining the esophagus’s interior. Esophageal cancer can develop at any point in the esophagus. The deep tissues and muscles of the esophagus may be affected as the tumor grows. A tumor can develop anywhere along the esophagus’s length, including the junction between the esophagus and the stomach.
Esophageal cancer affects more men than women. Esophageal carcinoma is the sixth leading cause of mortality from cancer worldwide. The rates of infection change depending on where you live. Tobacco and alcohol use, certain food habits, and obesity may be linked to greater incidences of esophageal cancer in specific areas.
What causes esophageal cancer?
The cause of esophageal cancer, like other malignancies, is unknown. It’s thought to be linked to mutations (abnormalities) in the DNA of cells in the esophagus. These mutations cause the cells to grow at a faster rate than healthy cells. This causes them to clump together and form tumors.
Tobacco usage, which includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and chewing tobacco, is a leading cause of esophageal cancer. The higher the cancer risk, the more and for longer a person uses tobacco. A person who smokes a pack of cigarettes or more per day has at least double the risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma as a nonsmoker. The risk does not go away if tobacco use is discontinued. The association between smoking and squamous cell esophageal cancer is considerably stronger; however, quitting smoking lowers the risk. Alcohol consumption also raises the risk of esophageal cancer. The more alcohol a person consumes, the more likely they are to get esophageal cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma is more likely than adenocarcinoma to be caused by alcohol.
Considering all these factors the esophageal cancer market is expected to reach $ 1000.1 million by the end of 2023,
Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus is slightly more common in people with GERD. People who have more frequent symptoms appear to be at a higher risk. However, GERD is highly prevalent, and most people with it do not get esophageal cancer. Barrett’s esophagus, which is associated with an even higher risk, can be caused by GERD. Barrett’s esophagus patients have a substantially higher risk of developing esophageal cancer than those who do not have the illness. Despite this, the majority of persons with Barrett’s esophagus do not get esophageal cancer. Additionally, those who are overweight or obese (very heavy) have an increased risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. This is explained in part by the fact that obese people are more likely to experience gastroesophageal reflux.
Treatment Methods of Esophageal Cancer
If cancer hasn’t spread to other parts of the body, the doctor may suggest surgery. Instead, the doctor may suggest chemotherapy or radiation therapy as the best treatment option. These treatments are also sometimes used to reduce esophageal tumors so that they can be surgically removed more easily.
• Surgical procedures
If the cancer is little and hasn’t spread, the doctor can remove it using an endoscope and a few small incisions using a minimally invasive approach. The surgeon uses a wider incision to remove a section of the esophagus and occasionally the lymph nodes around it in the traditional technique. Tissue from the stomach or large intestine is used to rebuild the tube. A section of the top of the stomach may also be removed in extreme situations. Pain, bleeding, leaking in the place where the rebuilt esophagus connects to the stomach, lung troubles, swallowing difficulty, nausea, heartburn, and infection are all possible side effects of surgery.
• Chemotherapy treatment
Chemotherapy is the process of using medications to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be given before or after surgery. It can occur as a side effect of radiation therapy. Chemotherapy can have a variety of adverse effects. The majority of them originate as a result of chemotherapy treatments killing healthy cells. The medication prescribed by the doctor will determine the adverse effects. The following are some of the possible negative effects:
· hair thinning
· stomach ache
· vomiting
· exhaustion
· annoyance
· neuropathic pain
· Radiation treatment
Radiation therapy kills cancer cells by exposing them to high-energy rays. Radiation can be given externally (through a machine) or inwardly (through a person) (with a device placed near the tumor, which is called brachytherapy). Radiation is frequently used in conjunction with chemotherapy, and the side effects are usually more severe. Radiation’s side effects can include:
· skin that looks sunburned
· pain or difficulty when swallowing
· exhaustion
· painful ulcers in the lining of the esophagus
Some therapy side effects will likely linger long after the treatment has ended. Esophageal stricture is when the tissue becomes less flexible, causing the esophagus to narrow and make swallowing uncomfortable or difficult.
• Individualized treatment
As a means to treat cancer, targeted medicines can target specific proteins on cancer cells. Trastuzumab can be used to treat a small percentage of esophageal malignancies. It goes after the HER2 protein on the cancer cell’s surface, which has been aiding the cancer cells to proliferate. Cancers can also spread and proliferate by forming new blood vessels. Ramucirumab is a sort of targeted medicine known as a “monoclonal antibody.” It binds to a protein known as VGEF, which aids in the formation of new blood vessels.
• Additional therapies
If the esophagus has become clogged due to cancer, the doctor may be able to place a stent (a metal tube) in it to keep it open. They may also be able to utilize photodynamic therapy, which entails injecting a photosensitive chemical into the tumor that attacks it when it is exposed to light.
Major Takeaways
Lifestyle choices essentially cause esophageal cancer. While governments are working towards creating more awareness among the public, especially against smoking tobacco and preventing obesity, research related to esophageal cancer has recently captured the attention of oncologists and scientists. The vast scale of disease types associated with esophageal cancer is behind the renewed interest of the medical fraternity. Therefore, the development of esophageal cancer drugs essentially pivots onto the efforts taken by the medical fraternity to alleviate the incidence of esophageal cancer shortly.
