Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month 2022

Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month 2022

April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month. Esophageal cancer is cancer of the esophagus, which is the muscular tube that connects the throat and stomach. The esophagus has multiple layers including the mucosa, submucosa, muscularis propria, and the adventitia. The mucosa can be broken further down into the epithelium (innermost layer), lamina propria (thin layer of connective tissue under the epithelium), and muscularis mucosa (very thin layer under the lamina propria). The submucosa is a thin layer of connective tissue and in certain parts of the esophagus it can have glands that secrete mucus. The muscularis propria is muscular tissue that contracts to push food down the esophagus toward the stomach. The adventitia is the outermost layer that is made up of connective tissue.  Usually, esophageal cancer starts on the inside of the esophagus in the epithelium layer of the mucosa and spreads outward.

Esophageal cancer comes in two forms: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The mucosa is lined with squamous cells and when these cells become cancerous, this is known as squamous cell carcinoma. It typically occurs in the area of the esophagus around the neck and upper two thirds of the chest, but it can happen anywhere in the esophagus.  It was once the most common esophageal cancer but now it makes up less than 30 percent of esophageal cancers in the United States. Adenocarcinoma is the other type of cancer, which is a cancer of the glands that make mucus. It usually occurs in the lower third of the esophagus. When people have a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, squamous cells can turn into gland cells and then become cancerous. When people have either of these types, they can experience symptoms including blood in the stool, pain or difficulty swallowing, feeling tired, heartburn, hoarseness and coughing, loss of appetite, pain in the throat or back, or weight loss.

There are multiple risk factors that can lead to esophageal cancer. Acid reflux, where stomach acid enters the esophagus, is a main cause of the cancer. When people have gastric-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), this can lead to Barrett’s esophagus where the cells lining the esophagus become structurally altered. These cells changing is known as dysplasia. Dysplasia can go from low grade to high grade and then turn into cancer. This occurs in a low amount of people with Barrett’s esophagus (1 to 5 percent). Drinking hot fluids can also cause esophageal cancer. In a study of 50,000 people, people who drank two to three cups of hot tea above 60 degrees Celsius a day were nearly twice as likely to develop esophageal cancer than those who didn’t. Obesity, like other cancers, is a risk factor for this cancer as well.

Smoking and tobacco use are also risk factors for esophageal cancer. All types of tobacco use are dangerous and can lead to cancer. Smokeless tobacco is just as dangerous because direct contact of tobacco to gums and cheeks can lead to oral cancers and swallowing tobacco in saliva can lead to esophageal cancer. Alcohol is also a risk factor because it can be corrosive to the esophageal lining, which can cause changes to cells lining the esophagus. The changed cells can become cancer. Limiting intake of alcohol and stopping tobacco use can reduce the risk of developing esophageal cancer.

Another risk factor for esophageal cancer is asbestos. When people work with the carcinogen, microscopic fibers can either be inhaled or ingested and can be lodged in the esophagus. The body cannot break down or remove these sharp fibers, so they stay in the body and over time, DNA changes can occur leading to cancer.

Contact us if you have esophageal cancer, mesothelioma, or lung cancer. All of these cancers can be caused by asbestos exposure. Many people don’t know they worked with asbestos until many years later when they are diagnosed with cancer. If you don’t know if you were exposed to asbestos, contact us anyway so our knowledgeable and experienced attorneys can help you determine if your cancer could be from an exposure to asbestos. Call us at 412-471-3980 or fill out our contact form and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible to review your case. We look forward to helping in any way we can.

Sources:
“Barrett’s Esophagus” EC Aware [Link]
“Risk Factors” EC Aware [Link]
“What Is Cancer of the Esophagus?” American Cancer Society [Link]
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