Understanding the Progression of Esophageal Cancer

In the earliest stages, when it's easiest to treat, esophageal cancer has very few symptoms, so unfortunately it's rarely caught early. As esophageal cancer begins to progress and advance to the later stages, symptoms become more apparent, and the cancer becomes more difficult to treat.

Esophageal Cancer: Stages and Survival Rates

The esophagus is a long, muscular tube that joins your mouth to your stomach. Esophageal cancer is classified into four stages, 0 through IV. In the earliest stage of esophageal cancer, the cancer affects only the lining of the esophagus. At this point, it is generally easy to treat and survival rates are high. But as cancerous cells grow and spread, a larger tumor forms in the esophagus, and often spreads to nearby lymph nodes, tissues, and eventually to other organs in the body. The following is a breakdown of the stages of esophageal cancer:

• Stage 0. This is the best-case scenario for a person diagnosed with esophageal cancer; in this stage of cancer, the disease has just begun to develop and has not spread beyond the lining of the esophagus. There are typically very few or no symptoms in this stage. Between 80 and 90 percent of esophageal cancer patients diagnosed in stage 0 can expect to survive five years following their treatment.
• Stage I. At this stage of esophageal cancer, the disease has spread deeper into the tissues of the esophagus, but has not yet affected nearby lymph nodes or organs. The five-year survival rate for people diagnosed with esophageal cancer during this stage is 34 percent.
• Stage II. By this stage, the cancer has moved into the deeper tissues of the esophageal wall and may now affect lymph nodes near the esophagus. The five-year rate of survival is 17 percent when esophageal cancer is diagnosed at stage II.
• Stage III. In stage III, the cancer has progressed beyond the wall of the esophagus and nearby lymph nodes to surrounding tissues, but other organs are not yet affected. At this stage, people often complain of throat pain and difficulty swallowing. Twenty to 30 percent of patients in stage III who receive both chemotherapy and radiation are likely to survive between three and five years.
• Stage IV. In stage IV, the cancer has metastasized, or spread, to other parts of the body. The five-year rate of survival for esophageal cancer patients diagnosed during stage IV drops to 2.8 percent.

Esophageal Cancer: Symptoms

Esophageal cancer rarely causes pain or other symptoms in early stages. As the tumor grows and spreads, however, esophageal cancer patients often experience painful swallowing and associated weight loss because they can't eat enough food to get the calories and nutrition that they need. Cancer itself can also affect metabolism and cause additional weight loss.

Some people in stage II and people in stages III and IV will experience painful or difficult swallowing. They may also feel like food is getting trapped in the throat because the tumor has grown so large.

In very advanced stages of esophageal cancer, a patient may have a hoarse voice, frequent hiccups, and throat pain, and may even vomit blood.

Your best defense against esophageal cancer is to know the risk factors and warning signs, and go straight to your doctor if you suspect that you could have esophageal cancer. If you have risk factors, such as frequent heartburn or if you smoke or drink heavily, you should be especially aware of the warning signs and be monitored closely by your doctor. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to improving your chances of surviving esophageal cancer.