Knowing the exact course, signs and symptoms, diagnostic features, preventions, precautions, treatment and lifestyle changes for any disorder is inevitable to combat it. The right medical information aids an individual a better understanding of its steps of regulation. It also help one to timely intervene in case of complications or hazardous outcomes, limiting a pathology and giving him / her a perfect surface to identify the minor and the major signs in due course. Food pipe in medical terminology is recognised as oesophagus, it is a tube like structure connecting the mouth and the stomach. Oesophageal cancerous growths most commonly presents as inability to swallow better known as dysphagia, simply the cancer physically obstructs the food way and finally presenting with debilitating condition.

Who all are at risk?

The disorder is most likely to increase its sphere in old age. Further people who indulge in tobacco smoking are too a major group to be afflicted. Excess of alcohol along with smoking doubles the chances of imbibing it. It is just that the sensitive stomach tissues after a while give up tolerating alcohol and finally presents as inflammatory reactions where a patient complain of regurgitation and reflux. If unchecked the constant erosion stimulates to progress to a deadly sphere of carcinoma.

How will a patient present?

Just like any other cancer here too the early stages are almost asymptomatic with trivial symptoms, it is only when the growth physically begins to interfere with normal functioning it starts surfacing up. The common symptoms include:-

• Difficulty in swallowing
• Prominent weight loss
• Pressure symptoms in form of pain in the throat or / and neck region
• Harshness in voice with persistent cough
• Vomiting primarily due to obstruction and gastric reflux
• In severe / unchecked cases, there may be coughing up of blood.

How to diagnose?

The above symptoms clearly indicate of the disease but the following tests are a must to confirm

• Barium meal test
• Oesophagoscopy

Though the above are enough to detect the condition but the following tests also should be conducted without a miss to know the extent of the disorder or any secondary involvement

• Chest x-ray: to diagnose the involvement of lungs
• CT scan / MRI: to diagnose other organ invasion
• Bone scan
• Bronchoscopy

What to do?

Depending on the stage, tissue involvement and age of the patient different treatments can be advocated including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy and laser technique.

Surgery is done in cases where the tumour presents with local invasion; here a surgeon removing the tumour reconnects the pathway to function as before.

Chemotherapy is used to shrink the tumour and also limit it way to other parts of the body.

Radiation involves the exposing of the cancer cells to high energy rays killing the primary cause. In case of difficult operative locations or older age often radiation and chemotherapy are adopted in combination to treat. Laser therapy also involves the use high intensity light to wipe off the cancerous growth. These surely with easier flow of food help control reflux and regurgitation.

Side effects

During the process many a times radiations, laser also harm the healthy sets of tissues, casing difficulties. The most common to include are hair loss, mouth sores, nausea, vomiting, and anaemia.

Besides medical attention psychosocial support can too do wonders, if you have someone close suffering a fearful life reach out; to support and express your affection. Your efforts will surely comfort them through hard times giving a shoulder assuring assistance is what a patient needs.