Esophageal cancer is a malignant tumor of the esophagus, the muscular tube that moves food from the mouth to the stomach.
Two main types of esophageal cancer exist: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell esophageal cancer is linked to smoking and alcohol consumption. Barrett's esophagus, a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), increases the risk for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. This is the more common type of esophageal cancer.
Symptoms include frequent heartburn and indigestion, acid reflux, pain behind the breastbone, regurgitation of food through the esophagus and possibly mouth, chest pain unrelated to eating, difficulty swallowing solids or liquids, and weight loss.
Prognosis depends on the extent of the disease and other medical problems, but is generally fairly poor. This is because most of the people diagnosed with esophageal cancer have late-stage disease.
Adenocarcinoma rates have risen dramatically. Adenocarcinoma struck four people per million in 1975, but that rate rose to 23 people per million in 2001. This makes it the fastest-growing cancer in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute.