The first signs of esophageal cancer. Esophageal cancer: first signs, treatment, prognosis

Cancer of the esophagus in the list of the most common diseases is in seventh place. That is why in this article I want to consider this disease in more detail. So, the purpose of the article is to learn as much as possible about what is esophageal cancer: symptoms, treatment, signs, causes of the problem.

Introductory word

At the very beginning, you need to understand the concepts that will be actively used in this article. So, the esophagus is the most important organ that connects the human stomach with the oral cavity. At the same time the esophagus "does not like" hot or cold, too sharp or roasted. Due to these factors, the mucous membrane of the organ can become inflamed, which will lead to problems such as tumors. And if modern medicine can still cope with benign neoplasms, then malignant tumors threaten not only the health, but even the life of the patient. The problem is also complicated by the very difficult identification of the disease in the early stages of its occurrence (absence of symptoms).

About the disease

It should be noted that it is almost impossible to determine the cancer of the esophagus at the earliest stages of the disease. And all because there will be completely no symptoms that can tell a person that something is wrong with the body. And only after the tumor will narrow the esophagus by almost half, a person will be able to feel some discomfort. It should be said that the cancer of the esophagus in men is more often 4 times than in women. Risk group - people aged 50-60 years. If a person has a malignant tumor, it will unevenly hit the organ. Thus, the upper part of the esophagus will be affected approximately by 10%, the average by 40%, and the lower part by approximately 50%.

Causes

The main goal of this article is to study the symptoms and causes of esophageal cancer. Thus, among the causes of this disease can be identified the following:

1. Food. First of all, the cause of esophageal cancer is frequent consumption of hot food, as well as the use of alcohol and its surrogates. It is also necessary to exclude too sharp dishes from the diet.
2. Geographical factor. Scientists have noticed that the patient's place of residence also affects the appearance of the disease. But everything again comes down to the culture of food consumption. Thus, the incidence of carcinoma is higher in some regions of China, Iran, and also in Central Asia. And all because they love pickled food, mold mushrooms and too hot dishes.
3. Deficiency of vitamins. The lack of vitamins A and C can lead to the development of esophageal cancer.
4. About three times the risk of the disease is higher among those who smoke, and 12 times higher in those who abuse alcohol.
5. The risk of cancer of the esophagus increases if this organ has been burned with alkali. Even in the event that many years have passed after the incident.
6. And, of course, some diseases can cause the development of malignant tumors. Esophageal cancer can be a consequence of achalasia of the esophagus or the so-called Barrett's esophagus.

Symptom 1. Dysphagia

At the outset, you need to consider the first signs of esophageal cancer. It is thanks to them that you can determine the disease. So, first of all, the patient will feel difficulty in swallowing food. A person will have a feeling that something in the throat prevents the normal passage of food, that food is constantly stuck. To avoid discomfort, a person will have to thoroughly chew everything. If the disease is started and not treated, then in time even the liquid will not be able to move normally around this organ. At the last stage of the disease a person can not properly swallow even his own saliva. Almost all stages of the development of the disease (except the first) are accompanied by painful sensations.

Stages of dysphagia

Studying the first signs of cancer of the esophagus, it is worth saying that the difficulty of swallowing at the outset of the disease occurs periodically, it does not constantly bother the person. That is why it is difficult to determine with the disease. In fact if the person nothing disturbs, also there is no sense to address to the doctor. Dysphagia itself has four stages:

1. In the first stage, a person has difficulty in swallowing large pieces of food, as well as passing fibrous food (meat, bread, some vegetables or fruits).
2. In the second stage, it is difficult for a patient to swallow thick porridge and mashed potatoes.
3. The third stage of dysphagia involves difficulty in passing through the esophagus.
4. The last stage is complete obstruction of the esophagus.

Symptom 2. Pain

What else is cancer of the esophagus? The first signs are painful sensations. They are practically in all patients at the most different stages of the disease. The nature of the pain can be different - it can be either acute or dull. In this case, unpleasant sensations arise not in the throat itself, but in the neck, between the scapula and in the region of the lower jaw.

Symptom 3. Reflux

What are the first signs of esophageal cancer? So, doctors say that evidence of this disease can also belch (or scientific language - reflux). However, if it occurs after a heavy meal or after sharp meals and infrequently it is normal. If the eructation occurs irrespective of food intake at any time of the day and night - this may be a bell to urgently need to be examined by a doctor.

Symptom 3. Vomiting, nausea

When the tumor grows, the patient may experience not only nausea, but even vomiting. Anxiety should cause bloody impurities in the vomit.

Symptom 4. Blood

We further consider the first signs of esophageal cancer. As already mentioned above, blood may be observed in the emetic masses of the patient. This becomes possible due to the appearance of wounds and ulcers in the esophagus (this leads to a tumor overgrowth). Part of the blood can come out with vomit, and some get into the stomach. That's why an admixture of blood can also be in the patient's stool.

Symptom 5. Increased salivation

If a person has esophageal cancer, the first signs are hiccups and excessive salivation. Hiccups arise from the difficulty of passing through the esophagus. And increased salivation is a consequence of the growth of the tumor and problems with swallowing your own saliva. The liquid has nowhere to go, it accumulates in the mouth and brings a person discomfort.

Symptom 6. Fatigue, weight loss

Then we recognize the signs of esophageal cancer. So, a person can also have a loss of strength, weight loss, temperature can rise. And all because because of problems with swallowing the patient simply ceases to eat (so you can avoid pain). And this entails insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals, which causes similar symptoms. Against the background of the weakening of the body to the patient can "pester" a variety of colds, which will cause a rise in temperature.

Symptom 7. Change in voice, cough

The main and first symptoms of esophageal cancer are frequent coughing and changes in the timbre of a person's voice. All this can arise as a consequence of proliferation of metastases in the larynx, bronchi. In the voice, hoarseness may appear, as with a normal respiratory disease. Often a person has pain in the vocal cords.

Symptom 8. Odor from the mouth

Well, when the disease is no longer at the first stage, the patient may have an unpleasant smell from the mouth. Also, lymph nodes may increase, which will indicate that metastases have "settled" there. The smell of decay from the mouth will be a consequence of the decomposition of the cancerous tumor.

Complications

Having considered the first symptoms of esophageal cancer, it is worth to say that during the disintegration of a malignant tumor, the patient may experience the following complications:

1. Esophageal bleeding. May be accompanied by vomiting with blood, nausea, loss of consciousness. With prolonged bleeding from the tumor, the patient may have a black stool. These situations require urgent medical intervention.
2. Tumor perforation. The patient can also form a hole in the esophagus, which will lead to the development of inflammation in the mediastinum. This will all be accompanied by pain, increased fever, and intoxication of the body.

Diagnostics

We further consider a disease such as esophageal cancer. Symptoms and signs - this is understood. Now I want to tell you about what methods and procedures you can put an accurate diagnosis. So, only one examination of the esophagus can not be limited, this will not give a complete picture of the disease. To make a diagnosis, the following studies will be needed:

1. X-ray. This procedure makes it possible to determine the physiological features of the tumor, as well as to know its exact location.
2. Fibrobronchoscopy will help determine the degree of tumor germination into the esophagus, and also to understand whether metastases have appeared.
3. To outline the boundaries of the tumor and clarify the prognosis for the future will help esophagogastroskopia.
4. Ultrasound and CT are secondary procedures that help clarify the diagnosis, determine the size of the tumor and the presence of metastases.
5. A laboratory blood test makes it possible to determine with oncomarkers.

Treatment

Many problems are caused by cancer of the esophagus. Symptoms and signs, stages, treatment and prognosis are all very important and must be discussed with the doctor. So, at this stage in more detail I want to consider all those methods of treatment that may be relevant in this case.

1. Radiation therapy.
2. Surgical intervention. In this case, the patient will be removed the esophagus. Plastic of the gastric or intestinal tube will also be needed.
3. Combined method: radiotherapy together with surgical intervention.

As for chemotherapy, as an independent method it is ineffective.

The defeat of the lower and middle part of the esophagus. In this case, surgical intervention with subsequent radiation and chemotherapy will be effective. If the tumor can not be removed, radiotherapy will be used.

If the patient suffers from an upper third of the esophagus, then radiation therapy will be relevant.

If the disease is very neglected, and the patient has the last stage of dysphagia (impossible normal nutrition) - impose a gastrostomy. This is an operative intervention when, under local anesthesia, the patient's stomach is sutured to the anterior abdominal wall, then a tube for feeding is inserted into it.

Forecast

When the first signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer, treatment and prognosis are considered, it is also important to tell. If the treatment is already said, then it's time to find out the predictions for the life of patients with this disease. First of all, I want to say that everything depends on the degree of development of the disease, on the patient's age and other various factors. That is, every case should be considered separately. However, you can provide general numbers:

1. If the cancer of the esophagus has not been treated, the prognosis in this case is not the most favorable. The average life expectancy of patients from the time of detection of the disease is approximately 6-8 months. If the diagnosis was carried out at an early stage, some patients lived for about 5 years without treatment.
2. If radiotherapy was used, the survival of patients is significantly increased.
3. With combined treatment after radical surgery, about half of the patients live more than five years.
4. In complex treatment (if metastases were detected), more than five years, approximately 57% of patients live.