Questionnaires for Cancer of Esophagus

What are common treatments for cancer of esophagus?

There were no common treatments mentioned in the literature for the treatment of cancer of esophagus that we could apply to patients in our clinic.

What is cancer of esophagus?

Cancers of esophagus are rare in adults. The average age of death from [esophageal cancer](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/esophageal-cancer) is about 61 years of age. Esophageal cancer is caused by a number of different processes. A small proportion of esophageal cancers are related to smoking. Other factors include alcohol, tea, coffee, chewing betelquid, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, dietary factors, obesity, diabetes, and viral infections such as human papillomavirus and human T-lymphotropic virus. Esophageal cancer is highly debilitating due to the inability to eliminate food from the stomachs.

What are the signs of cancer of esophagus?

1. Coughing up blood is a common symptom of esophageal cancer.\n2. Painful or bloody urination in men may indicate esophageal cancer.\n3. Constipation may indicate esophageal cancer.\n4. Pain on or just under the chest bone indicates esophageal cancer.\n5. Any lump in the neck could be an esophageal cancer.\n6. White patches on the tongue may be an esophageal cancer.

Can cancer of esophagus be cured?

In the treatment of cancer of the upper gastrointestinal tract, esophagectomy has a better oncological outcome when employed as an alternative treatment in the presence of a malignant tumor. Esophagectomy can be performed in patients with curable disease in whom conventional radiotherapy or chemotherapy has failed, and it may therefore be considered a potential treatment option.

What causes cancer of esophagus?

The main causes of cancer of the esophagus are tobacco, alcohol, and acid reflux from the stomach. This cancer can be a result of tobacco habits, even if these habits seem unnoticeable; many patients do not know they have a gastric tumor. The most common symptom is, of course, the difficulty in swallowing solid foods. Diagnosis is made first by a combination of symptoms, a physical examination, and a history taken from the patient, with special attention to gastroesophageal reflux.

How many people get cancer of esophagus a year in the United States?

About 8,800 people are diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus a year. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the main form found in this group. The mortality from this disease is much higher than that from the other forms of cancer with the overall mortality in the United States being 28.8 percent.

What is the latest research for cancer of esophagus?

Patients and caregivers are eager to know about new advances in treatment of this disease. Many research-based studies have demonstrated that people with cancer of the esophagus are significantly more likely to die sooner than the general population, but some new treatments have shown promise. To help guide you in choosing the best treatment, follow your doctor's advice, as knowing more is the best way to determine your treatment options. There is also a link between esophageal cancer and Barrett's esophagus, but this does not mean that patients with Barrett's should not bother testing out esophageal cancer screening if their doctor is worried about the possibility of cancer.

How serious can cancer of esophagus be?

The condition of most patients with [esophageal cancer](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/esophageal-cancer) was localized at diagnosis. The disease spread to regional lymph nodes a majority of the time (71%). Localized cancer in the resected specimen was more common in patients with T3 and T4 disease than in patients with disease limited to the primary site (74% vs. 33%, respectively; p = 0.04). However, disease extending beyond resection margins was found in 25% of patients with regional lymph node involvement. Survival after treatment for esophageal cancer was good.

Have there been any new discoveries for treating cancer of esophagus?

The new technologies like chemoradiation, targeted therapy, and immunotha-pheresis should help in treatment of esophageal cancer; however, the new advancements cannot replace traditional techniques like surgery and radiation therapy.

Is questionnaires typically used in combination with any other treatments?

The present study shows that a structured interview questionnaire can be used in combination with another treatment such as radiotherapy to assess the distress caused by the treatment and the need for any future change in the treatment. The use of the questionnaire is recommended because of the simplicity, ease of use and the quick results.

Does questionnaires improve quality of life for those with cancer of esophagus?

A short questionnaire can be used to aid patient planning for radiotherapy and is a welcome addition to the cancer care team. If validated, the study outcomes could be widely disseminated.

How quickly does cancer of esophagus spread?

Cancer of esophagus is a rapidly growing life-threatening disease, and the 5-year survival is < 10%. Patients with node-positive [esophageal cancer](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/esophageal-cancer) and a bulky tumor have a worse prognosis. The number of lymph node dissection is an important predictor of the survival in esophageal cancer.