Esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the esophagus, the hollow, muscular tube that moves food and liquid from the throat to the stomach. It starts on the inside lining of the esophagus and spreads outward through the other layers as it grows. The two most common types are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, which tend to develop in different parts of the esophagus and are driven by different genetic changes.

Staged from Stage 0 through Stage IV based on how deeply the tumor has grown into the wall of the esophagus, how many lymph nodes are involved, whether it has spread to other parts of the body, and the tumor grade.