Cervical esophageal cancer symptoms & treatment

Cervical esophageal cancer is rare, but it can grow very quickly. Early diagnosis and treatment are vital to prevent it from growing bigger or spreading to other parts of your body.

What is cervical esophageal cancer?

Esophageal cancer grows in the esophagus – the tube that leads from your throat to your stomach.Cervical esophageal cancer occurs in the upper (cervical) part of your esophagus – from the bottom of your throat (hypopharynx) to the indentation in the middle of your neck between the two collarbones (the sternal notch).

Types of esophageal cancer

Esophagus cancer has two main types.

• Adenocarcinoma develops from gland cells and usually occurs in the lower esophagus. It usually occurs after having had gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for a long time. However, not everyone who has GERD will develop adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.
• Squamous cell carcinoma develops in squamous cells and can occur any place in the esophagus. Squamous cell carcinoma is more likely to be found in the upper and middle sections of the esophagus.

Adenocarcinoma develops from gland cells and usually occurs in the lower esophagus. It usually occurs after having had gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for a long time. However, not everyone who has GERD will develop adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

Squamous cell carcinoma develops in squamous cells and can occur any place in the esophagus. Squamous cell carcinoma is more likely to be found in the upper and middle sections of the esophagus.

Symptoms of esophageal cancer

You might not notice esophageal cancer symptoms in the early stages. Symptoms of cervical esophageal cancer may include:

• Burning, pressure or pain in the chest
• Coughing when drinking liquids
• Difficulty or pain when swallowing
• Ear pain (especially on only one side)
• Feeling as if something is stuck in your throat
• Extreme weight loss (from lack of eating)
• Having swallowed food come back up
• Hoarse voice
• A lump on your neck

Risk factors for cervical esophageal cancer

Smoking and drinking are risk factors for all esophageal cancers. Smoking, drinking and the combination of the two raise the risk of cervical esophageal cancer more than they do for cancers in the middle or lower parts of the esophagus.

Other risk factors for cervical esophageal cancer include:

• Radiation exposure in the past
• History of lye ingestion
• Certain viruses or bacteria
• Celiac disease

Some inherited gene mutations can slightly increase the risk of esophageal cancers in general. If you have a family history of esophageal cancer, you may want to talk to your doctor about whether to have genetic testing for esophageal cancer.

Gender as a risk factor for esophageal cancer

Males are more likely than females to get esophageal cancer. Adenocarcinoma in the esophagus is more common in white men. Squamous cell carcinoma in the esophagus is more common in men of color and Asian men.

Diagnosis of esophageal cancer

To arrive at a diagnosis of esophageal cancer, your doctor will take a full medical history and ask you about any symptoms you’ve noticed. Your doctor will perform a full physical exam, including feeling your neck for lumps or bumps and looking inside your ears and nose.

Tests for esophageal cancer

Your doctor may order:

• Barium swallow: You’ll drink a liquid that contains barium (a silver-white metallic compound). This coats the esophagus and stomach and will show up on X-rays. Then your stomach and esophagus are X-rayed. This test is also known as an esophagogram or an upper GI series.
• Biopsy: This is the removal of a small piece of tissue from the area that looks like cancer to examine it for cancerous cells.
• Endoscopy: A thin, lighted tube will be inserted through your mouth or nose, allowing your doctor to look for abnormal tissue in your esophagus.
• Fine needle aspiration biopsy: Here, a thin needle is placed into a lump in your neck. Cells are drawn out and examined under a microscope.
• Imaging tests: Scans such as CT, MRI or PET scans and chest or dental X-rays will help confirm whether a tumor exists and whether it’s spread.

Treatment options for cervical esophageal cancer

Treatment for cervical esophageal cancer usually involves a combination of surgery to remove the tumor, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The treatment you’ll get will be personalized for you depending on your general health, how advanced the cancer is and whether it’s spread.

After treatment for cervical esophageal cancer, you’ll be instructed to come in for regular screening because it’s possible your cancer will come back. You may also need a speech therapist to help with any problems with speaking or swallowing.