Medical treatments

Treatment of esophageal cancer is cured by surgery, or by combining several therapies. Treatment options vary depending on the location of the tumor and the stage of the cancer.

surgery

The surgeon can perform a oesophagectomie partial or total.

If the tumor is superficial, it is sometimes possible (but rarely) to remove the affected part by inserting a tube with an objective (endoscope) through the mouth to access and destroy diseased tissue.

Otherwise, the surgeon will remove part of the esophagus or all of it, depending on where the tumor is located. It also removes nearby lymph nodes. Sometimes part of the stomach may also need to be removed, if the tumor is located at the very bottom of the esophagus.

The surgeon then connects the stomach to the preserved area of ​​the esophagus. Sometimes the surgeon replaces the operated esophagus with part of the intestine.

La convalescence can be relatively long. The operated person can spend several days in intensive care. She should then learn to swallow again and be fed intravenously or through a tube until it is possible to swallow again. Being aware of all of this before surgery helps to actively go through the stages of recovery.

Some tumors can block the esophagus, preventing the passage of food. In this case, the surgeon can insert a tube (stent) into the esophagus to keep it open. Such an intervention is not enough to cure the disease, but it decreases its symptoms (pain, bleeding) and discomfort.

Chemoradiotherapy

In some cases, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are given before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor. Radiation therapy can also be used after surgery to complete its action and to eliminate remaining cancer cells.

La radiotherapy consists of irradiating the affected region, ie sending rays to a specific location in order to destroy cancer cells. As the high energy rays also reach healthy cells, this therapy has various more or less annoying side effects. Fatigue, inflammation of the skin becoming red and tender, chest pain, or difficulty swallowing.

La chemotherapy is a treatment with drugs that can be administered intravenously or orally. Chemotherapy drugs destroy cancer cells, but also affect certain healthy cells, which can lead to serious side effects.

The combination of therapies makes the treatment more effective, but it also increases the intensity of side effects. These usually fade when healthy cells have had time to regenerate.

Complementary approaches

Reviews. Consult our Cancer file to learn about all the complementary approaches that have been studied with people with cancer, such as acupuncture, visualization, massage therapy and yoga. These approaches may be suitable when used as an adjunct to, and not as a substitute for, medical treatment.