April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month

April has been designated as Esophageal Cancer Awareness month, a good time for all of us to take steps to reduce the risk, know when you might have concerning symptoms, and understand current treatment options.

What is Esophageal Cancer?

According to the Mayo Clinic, Esophageal cancer is a growth of cells that start in the esophagus. The Esophagus is a long, hollow tube that runs from the throat to the stomach. It helps move swallowed food from the back of the throat to the stomach to be digested.

How can you prevent it?

Smoking and heavy consumption of alcohol are the major risk factors in developing esophageal cancer along with obesity and chronic acid reflux. Not smoking, quitting smoking, limiting or eliminating alcohol consumption are important ways to prevent it. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables are also important ways to keep your esophagus healthy. If you experience regular heartburn, consult with your doctor on ways that you can reduce those symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

According to the Esophageal Cancer Awareness Association, most people do not have symptoms until the tumor grows in size to block the esophagus, making it difficult to swallow. However – as the cancer grows – common symptoms may include:

• Blood in the stool

• Difficult or painful swallowing

• Feeling very tired

• Heartburn (GERD)

• Hoarseness or coughing

• Loss of appetite

• Pain in the throat or back

• Weight loss

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consult with your primary care physician right away.

What are the treatment options?

Dr. Daniel Boffa, MD, Professor of Thoracic Surgery at Yale School of medicine, specializes in the treatment of esophageal and lung cancer. According to Dr. Boffa, “there are several new treatments. Immunotherapy allows a person to use their own immune system to fight the cancer. There are also different targeted therapies which attack the vulnerabilities that the cancer presents. There are also newer and safer ways to perform surgery less invasively, with faster recovery time. And sometimes, we can avoid radiation and surgery. We are now on the brink of so many discoveries that can really change this disease. Unfortunately, right now, more than half of the people diagnosed will have their lives shortened by this cancer. It’s the hope we are facing now that is so important. This era of medicine has taken people with incurable cancer and given them hope and given them cures.”