The causes of esophageal cancer

Cancer - this uncontrolled multiplication of the epithelial body (cover) tissue. Cancer cells differ significantly from cells of the tissue from which they originated, so such cells are referred to as atypical. The most malignant cancers are considered to tumors that are composed of undifferentiated cells, i.e. cells, similar to embryonic - first cells in the embryo arise.

Predisposes to the development of esophageal cancer eating hot, spicy, ill-treated (for example, meat or fish) food. By the predisposing factors include high mineralization and salinization of drinking water, smoking, use of alcohol, chronic gastrointestinal infections Gastrointestinal infections - from poor quality food to the dirty hands Anatomical and functional disorders (eg hernia).

By precancerous diseases of the esophagus include its chronic inflammation (esophagitis), ulcers, scarring after burns, polyps, various dysplasia Dysplasia - what is it?   esophageal epithelium (violation of the structure of its cells).

Most often, the cancer occurs in the middle third of the esophagus. It develops from the epithelial structures of the mucosa and submucosa of the esophagus. In structure esophageal cancer most often squamous different degree of differentiation.

By type of growth of esophageal cancer can be exophytic (growing into the lumen of the esophagus) and endophytic (it spreads submucosa, muscular layer and into the surrounding tissue). Often there are mixed forms of tumor growth. At a certain stage of development of the surface of the tumor may ulcerate. When endophytic tumor sometimes circular covers the esophagus.

Metastatic cancer of the esophagus is usually through the lymphatic vessels, but sometimes metastasis transmitted through the blood vessels.

Steps

To distinguish the four stages of cancer of the esophagus:

• the first stage - clearly limited small tumor or ulcer, located in the mucosa and submucosa; patency of the esophagus slightly broken; metastases in the lymph nodes not adjacent;
• the second stage - a tumor or ulcer, do not go beyond the walls of the esophagus, esophageal lumen narrowed considerably; has a single metastasis to nearby lymph nodes;
• the third stage of life can be in two versions: a) a tumor or ulcer takes up most of the circumference of the esophagus and making it almost impassable; b) a tumor of any size sprouted a wall of the esophagus and has grown together with the neighboring organs and tissues; has metastasized to nearby lymph nodes;
• fourth stage - the swelling has gone far beyond the body and cause the formation of a fistula; There are still metastasized to nearby lymph nodes and distant organs.

Signs

Symptoms of esophageal cancer can be divided into three main groups:

• local signs - various unpleasant sensations in the esophagus, and non with the passage of the food bolus, regurgitation, vomiting, salivation;
• distant signs - they are related both to nearby organs or to remote, due to the involvement in the process of nerve trunks and expressed signs of disease of the trachea, lungs, heart, stomach, intestines, neurological symptoms - pain in the neck, the spine;
• common symptoms - fatigue, weight loss, fever, typical of cancer Malignant tumor: cells are mad   changes in the blood.

In the early stages, when patients look healthy people, even minimal discomfort in the esophagus or associated with swallowing should be cause for inspection.

Particular difficulties are cases of hidden flow - the so-called silent cancer of the esophagus. The diagnosis in this case has already put in the presence of metastases Metastasis - danger everywhere   or sprouting in adjacent organs.

Main symptoms of esophageal cancer may be expressed in different forms: esophageal (disorder of swallowing, pain when passing food through the esophagus), gastriticheskoy (belching, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, regurgitation), neuralgic (referred pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, spine) , cardiac (heart pain), laringotrahealnoy (hoarseness, barking cough), plevropulmonalnoy (cough, shortness of breath, asthma attacks), and mixed.

The diagnosis of esophageal cancer doctor may suspect on the basis of patient complaints. Confirms the diagnosis by means of additional tests: X-ray, endoscopy (esophagoscopy, an occasion with a special optical instrument), radioisotope. Laboratory examined the washings and the contents of the esophagus - the detection of cancer cells is a convincing confirmation of the diagnosis.

Treatment depends on the stage and location of the tumor. In the early stages performed radical surgery of the esophagus to remove nearby lymph nodes. After surgery, radiation therapy is usually performed. In some cases, radiation therapy is used alone. Chemotherapy is a cancer of the esophagus is considered to be insufficiently effective.

Cancer at any site is best treated in the early stages, esophageal cancer is no exception to this rule.

Galina Romanenko

Radiotherapy as a cancer pain relief

Radiotherapy - a method in which to destroy cancer cells using high-energy radiation. Method helpful in treating various cancers. Radiotherapy is not very effective when it comes to carcinoids. But the radio-frequency radiation helps relieve pain in cases where the cancer Malignant tumor: cells are mad   proceeds to bone. Also, the method can have a therapeutic effect in combination with other treatments.

New methods for the treatment of carcinoid tumors

There are a number of new techniques that can also help in the treatment of carcinoids. In the treatment of other cancers have used new types of drugs, so-called "targeted therapies". But doctors are already beginning to apply such drugs and to fight carcinoid tumors. These drugs act only on certain cancer cells without affecting normal cells while, in contrast to other drugs. This treatment is not as aggressive as chemotherapy Chemotherapy - it always falls the hair? .

Also, scientists are working with a new type of radiation therapy Radiotherapy in cancer treatment: irradiation aid   entitled "radiopharmaceutical compound." The method uses a drug that attracted carcinoids. It forms a compound with the radioactive substance and injected into the patient is found. Once the drug is close to the tumor, he gives her all radiation Radiation and its biological effect: gently infected! , Which kills cancer cells.

Rarely used method: liver transplantation

In rare cases, when the tumor has spread to the liver, organ transplant possible. During transplantation, the diseased organ is removed, and his place is taken by a healthy donor liver. Liver transplantation is carried out rarely, but for some patients it is a chance to survive.

The prognosis for detecting unresectable carcinoid tumor

Recent medical advances have allowed patients to make a prediction in carcinoids more optimistic. And this applies even to those patients in whom the tumor has spread to other organs. In our time, people with cancer may live another 10-15 years.

Over the past ten years, we developed a lot of new treatments. And today there are many ways to treat tumors that can not be deleted.