Esophageal Cancer Treatment Options

There are various kinds of esophageal cancerSome times a small intestine part or plastic tube
treatment options. Some treatment options aremight be used for connecting both. When the
standard and are used presently and there are someesophagus is blocked partially due to tumor, then
treatment options which are provided to the patientsstents might be inserted inside in order to facilitate
in the form of clinical trials. Clinical trials are nothing butswallowing of food.
research studies meant for enhancing the presentNext common treatment option for esophageal
treatments or for getting new information for thecancer is radiation therapy where x-rays of high
patients suffering from esophageal cancer so thatenergy are directed on the cancerous cell so that
they can be treated in a better manner.they are killed and their growth is stopped. Two kind
If the clinical trials consisting of new treatment optionof radiation therapy are used, one is the external
that is found to be better than the treatmentradiation and the other is the internal radiation
(standard) given to the patient then the newtherapy. The type of the radiation therapy used
treatment option would take the place of thedepends mainly of the stage and type of cancer that
standard method. The patients should also think overis getting treated.
of going through the clinical trials. All patients mightChemotherapy is a standard treatment option in
not be eligible for clinical trials as some are onlyesophageal cancer where drugs are passed through
meant for patients who have not undergone orthe esophagus to stop or kill the cancerous cells.
started any type of treatments. Since esophagealSystemic chemotherapy is normally administered
cancer patients find it hard to swallow food due tothrough muscles or veins or mouth where the drugs
dysphagia they might require special type ofare passed into the bloodstream reaching the cancer
nutritional requirements.cells all over the body of the patient. Regional
Surgery is of the common treatment options forchemotherapy involves placing the drugs in the spinal
esophageal cancer. It involves removing a part ofcoloum, body cavity like abdomen or an organ so
esophagus using an operation known asthat the drug affects the cancerous cells present in
esophagectomy. In esophagectomy, a small portionthat region.
of esophagus is cut and removed as a result of thisLaser therapy uses laser beams for killing cancer cells
the remaining portion of the esophagus is connectedwhile electrocoagulation uses the electric current for
with the stomach which is done by pulling it upwardskilling cancerous cells.
making it easy for the patient to swallow the food.