Causes of the squamous-cell type includetobacco,alcohol, very hot drinks, poor diet, and chewingbetel nut.[3][4] The most common causes of the adenocarcinoma type are smoking tobacco,obesity, andacid reflux.[3] In addition, for patients withachalasia,candidiasis (overgrowth of the esophagus with the funguscandida) is the most important risk factor.[12]
The disease is diagnosed bybiopsy done by anendoscope (afiberoptic camera).[5] Prevention includes stopping smoking and eating ahealthy diet.[1][2] Treatment is based on thecancer's stage and location, together with the person's general condition and individual preferences.[5] Small localized squamous-cell cancers may be treated withsurgery alone with the hope of acure.[5] In most other cases,chemotherapy with or withoutradiation therapy is used along with surgery.[5] Larger tumors may have their growth slowed with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.[2] In the presence of extensive disease or if the affected person is not fit enough to undergo surgery,palliative care is often recommended.[5]
As of 2018, esophageal cancer was the eighth-most common cancer globally with 572,000 new cases during the year. It caused about 509,000 deaths that year, up from 345,000 in 1990.[8][13] Rates vary widely among countries, with about half of all cases occurring in China.[2] It is around three times more common in men than in women.[2] Outcomes are related to the extent of the disease andother medical conditions, but generally tend to be fairly poor, as diagnosis is often late.[2][14]Five-year survival rates are around 13% to 18%.[1][6]
Prominent symptoms usually do not appear until the cancer hasinfiltrated over 60% of the circumference of the esophageal tube, by which time the tumor is already in anadvanced stage.[15] Onset of symptoms is usually caused bynarrowing of the tube due to the physical presence of the tumor.[16]
The first and the most common symptom is usuallydifficulty in swallowing, which is often experienced first with solid foods and later with softer foods and liquids.[1]Pain when swallowing is less usual at first.[1]Weight loss is often an initial sign in cases of squamous-cell carcinoma, though not usually in cases of adenocarcinoma.[17] Eventual weight loss due to reduced appetite andundernutrition is common.[18]Pain behind thebreastbone or in theregion around the stomach often feels likeheartburn. The pain can frequently be severe, worsening when food of any sort is swallowed. Another sign may be an unusually husky, raspy, or hoarse-sounding cough, a result of the tumor affecting therecurrent laryngeal nerve.
If the cancer has spread elsewhere, symptoms related tometastatic disease may appear. Common sites of spread include nearbylymph nodes, theliver,lungs and bone.[15]Liver metastasis can causejaundice and abdominal swelling (ascites). Lung metastasis can cause, among other symptoms, impaired breathing due to excess fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion), anddyspnea (the feelings often associated with impaired breathing).
The two main types (i.e.squamous-cell carcinoma andadenocarcinoma) have distinct sets ofrisk factors.[17] Squamous-cell carcinoma is linked to lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol.[20] Adenocarcinoma has been linked to effects of long-termacid reflux.[20] Tobacco is a risk factor for both types.[17] Both types are more common in people over 60 years of age.[21]
The two major risk factors for esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma are tobacco (smoking orchewing) and alcohol.[2] The combination of tobacco and alcohol has a strongsynergistic effect.[22] Some data suggest that about half of all cases are due to tobacco and about one-third to alcohol, while over three-quarters of the cases in men are due to the combination of smoking and heavy drinking.[2]Risks associated with alcohol appear to be linked to itsaldehyde metabolite and to mutations in certainrelated enzymes.[17] Such metabolicvariants are relatively common in Asia.[2]
Other relevant risk factors include regular consumption of very hot drinks (over 65 °C or 149 °F)[23][24] and ingestion ofcaustic substances.[2] High levels of dietary exposure tonitrosamines (chemical compounds found both in tobacco smoke and certain foodstuffs) also appear to be a relevant risk factor.[17] Unfavorable dietary patterns seem to involve exposure to nitrosamines throughprocessed and barbecued meats, pickled vegetables, etc., and a low intake of fresh foods.[2] Other associated factors includenutritional deficiencies, lowsocioeconomic status, and poororal hygiene.[17] Chewingbetel nut (areca) is an important risk factor in Asia.[4]
Physical trauma may increase the risk.[25] This may include the drinking of very hot drinks.[3]
Esophageal cancer (lower part) as a result of Barrettʼs esophagus
Male predominance is particularly strong in esophagealadenocarcinoma, occurring about 7 to 10 times more frequently in men.[26] This imbalance may be related to the characteristics andinteractions of other known risk factors, including acid reflux andobesity.[26]
The long-term erosive effects of acid reflux (an extremely common condition, also known asgastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD) have been strongly linked to this type of cancer.[27] Longstanding GERD can induce achange of cell type in the lower portion of the esophagus in response to erosion of itssquamous lining.[27] This phenomenon, known asBarrett's esophagus, seems to appear about 20 years later in women than in men, possibly due tohormonal factors.[27]
At a mechanistic level, in the esophagus there is a smallHOXA13 expressing compartment that is more resistant to bile and acids as the normal squamous epithelium and that is prone to both intestinal differentiation as well asoncogenic transformation. Following GERD this HOXA13-expressing compartment outcompetes the normal squamous compartment, leading to the intestinal aspect of the esophagus and increased propensity to the development of esophageal cancer.[28]
Having symptomatic GERD orbile reflux makes Barrett's esophagus more likely, which in turn raises the risk offurther changes that can ultimately lead to adenocarcinoma.[17] Bile reflux containing unconjugatedbile acids, includingdeoxycholic acid andchenodeoxycholic acid, appears to contribute to esophageal adenocarcinoma carcinogenesis by inducingoxidative stress andDNA damage.[29] The risk of developing adenocarcinoma in the presence of Barrett's esophagus is unclear, and may in the past have been overestimated.[2]
Being obese oroverweight is strongly associated with risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma, and may in fact be the strongest of any type ofobesity-related cancer, though the reasons for this remain unclear.[30][31]Abdominal obesity seems to be of particular relevance, given thecloseness of its association with this type of cancer, as well as with both GERD and Barrett's esophagus.[31] This type of obesity is characteristic of men.[31] Physiologically, it stimulates GERD and also has other chronicinflammatory effects.[27]
Helicobacter pylori infection (a common occurrence thought to have affected over half of the world's population) is not a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma and actually appears to be protective. Despite being a cause of GERD and a risk factor forgastric cancer, the infection seems to be associated with a reduced risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma of as much as 50%.[32][33] The biological explanation for a protective effect is unclear.[33] One explanation is that some strains ofH. pylori reducestomach acid, thereby reducing damage by GERD.[34] Decreasing rates ofH. pylori infection in Western populations over recent decades, which have been linked to less overcrowding in households, could be a factor in the concurrent increase in esophageal adenocarcinoma.[32]
Female hormones may also have a protective effect, as EAC is not only much less common in women but develops later in life, by an average of 20 years. Although studies of many reproductive factors have not produced a clear picture, risk seems to decline for the mother in line with prolonged periods ofbreastfeeding.[32]
Tobacco smoking increases risk, but the effect in esophageal adenocarcinoma is slight compared to that in squamous cell carcinoma, and alcohol has not been demonstrated to be a cause.[32]
History ofradiation therapy for other conditions in thechest is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma.[17]
Corrosive injury to the esophagus by accidentally or intentionally swallowingcaustic substances is a risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma.[2]
Tylosis with esophageal cancer is a rarefamilial disease with autosomal dominant inheritance that has been linked to a mutation in theRHBDF2 gene, present on chromosome 17: it involves thickening of the skin of the palms and soles and a high lifetime risk of squamous cell carcinoma.[2][37]
Achalasia (i.e. lack of the involuntary reflex in the esophagus after swallowing) appears to be a risk factor for both main types of esophageal cancer, at least in men, due to stagnation of trapped food and drink.[38]
There is some evidence suggesting a possible causal association betweenhuman papillomavirus (HPV) and esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma.[39] The relationship is unclear.[40] Possible relevance of HPV could be greater in places that have a particularly high incidence of this form of the disease,[41] as in some Asian countries, including China.[42]
There is an association betweenceliac disease and esophageal cancer. People with untreated celiac disease have a higher risk, but this risk decreases with time after diagnosis, probably due to the adoption of agluten-free diet, which seems to have a protective role against development of malignancy in people with celiac disease. However, the delay in diagnosis and initiation of a gluten-free diet seems to increase the risk of malignancy. Moreover, in some cases the detection of celiac disease is due to the development of cancer, whose early symptoms are similar to some that may appear in celiac disease.[43]
Although an occlusive tumor may be suspected on abarium swallow orbarium meal, the diagnosis is best made with an examination using anendoscope. This involves the passing of a flexible tube with a light and camera down the esophagus and examining the wall, and is called anesophagogastroduodenoscopy.Biopsies taken of suspicious lesions are then examinedhistologically for signs of malignancy.
Additional testing is needed to assess how much the cancer has spread (see§ Staging, below).Computed tomography (CT) of the chest, abdomen and pelvis can evaluate whether the cancer has spread to adjacent tissues or distant organs (especiallyliver andlymph nodes). The sensitivity of a CT scan is limited by its ability to detect masses (e.g. enlargedlymph nodes or involved organs) generally larger than 1 cm.[44][45]Positron emission tomography is also used to estimate the extent of the disease and is regarded as more precise than CT alone.[46] PET/MR as a novel modality has shown promising results in preoperative staging with fair feasibility and good correlation in comparison to PET/CT. It can enhance tissue differentiation with lowering the radiation dose to the patient.[47] Esophagealendoscopic ultrasound can provide staging information regarding the level of tumor invasion, and possible spread to regional lymph nodes.
The location of the tumor is generally measured by the distance from the teeth. The esophagus (25 cm or 10 in long) is commonly divided into three parts for purposes of determining the location. Adenocarcinomas tend to occur nearer the stomach and squamous cell carcinomas nearer the throat, but either may arise anywhere in the esophagus.
Endoscopic image ofBarrett esophagus – a frequent precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma
Endoscopy and radialendoscopic ultrasound images of a submucosal tumor in the central portion of the esophagus
Contrast CT scan showing an esophageal tumor (axial view)
Contrast CT scan showing an esophageal tumor (coronal view)
Esophageal cancer
Micrograph showinghistopathological appearance of an esophageal adenocarcinoma (dark blue – upper-left of image) and normal squamous epithelium (upper-right of image) atH&E staining
Esophageal cancers are typicallycarcinomas that arise from theepithelium, or surface lining, of the esophagus. Most esophageal cancers fall into one of two classes: esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas (ESCC), which are similar tohead and neck cancer in their appearance and association with tobacco and alcohol consumption—and esophageal adenocarcinomas (EAC), which are often associated with a history of GERD and Barrett's esophagus. A rule of thumb is that a cancer in the upper two-thirds is likely to be ESCC and one in the lower one-third EAC.
Staging is based on theTNM staging system, which classifies the amount of tumor invasion (T), involvement oflymph nodes (N), and distantmetastasis (M).[17] The currently preferred classification is the 2010AJCC staging system for cancer of the esophagus and theesophagogastric junction.[17] To help guide clinical decision making, this system also incorporates information on cell type (ESCC, EAC, etc.),grade (degree ofdifferentiation – an indication of the biological aggressiveness of thecancer cells), and tumor location (upper, middle, lower, or junctional[50]).[51]
Prevention includes stopping smoking or chewing tobacco.[2] Overcoming addiction to areca chewing in Asia is another promising strategy for the prevention of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma.[4] The risk can also be reduced by maintaining a normal body weight.[52] According to a 2022 umbrella review, calcium intake could be associated with lower risk.[53]
According to theNational Cancer Institute, "diets high in cruciferous (cabbage, broccoli/broccolini, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) and green and yellow vegetables and fruits are associated with a decreased risk of esophageal cancer."[54]Dietary fiber is thought to be protective, especially against esophageal adenocarcinoma.[55] There is no evidence that vitamin supplements change the risk.[1]
People withBarrett's esophagus (an abnormality of the cells lining the lower esophagus) are at much higher risk,[56] and may receive regular endoscopic screening for the early signs of cancer.[57] Because the benefit of screening for adenocarcinoma in people without symptoms is unclear,[2] it is not recommended in the United States.[1]
The Nath Score is a history-based risk assessment model developed using machine learning and retrospective data. It evaluates clinical history and symptom patterns to estimate the likelihood of esophageal cancer and has been proposed as a screening tool, particularly in settings where access to endoscopic screening is limited. While retrospective studies support its ability to identify high-risk individuals, it has not yet been adopted into standard screening guidelines.[58]
Esophageal stent for esophageal cancerEsophageal stent for esophageal cancer Before and after a totalesophagectomyTypical scar lines after the two main methods of surgery
Treatment is best managed by a multidisciplinary team covering the variousspecialties involved.[clarification needed][59][60] Adequatenutrition must be assured, and appropriate dental care is essential. Factors that influence treatment decisions include thestage and cellular type of cancer (EAC, ESCC, and other types), along with the person's general condition and anyother diseases that are present.[17]
In general, treatment with acurative intention is restricted to localized disease, without distantmetastasis: in such cases a combined approach that includes surgery may be considered. Disease that is widespread, metastatic or recurrent is managedpalliatively: in this case, chemotherapy may be used to lengthen survival, while treatments such asradiotherapy orstenting may be used to relieve symptoms and make it easier to swallow.[17]
If the cancer has been diagnosed while still in an early stage, surgical treatment with a curative intention may be possible. Some small tumors that only involve themucosa or lining of the esophagus may be removed byendoscopic mucosal resection (EMR).[61][62] Otherwise, curative surgery of early-stage lesions may entail removal of all or part of the esophagus (esophagectomy), although this is a difficult operation with a relatively high risk of mortality or post-operative difficulties. The benefits of surgery are less clear in early-stage ESCC than EAC. There are a number of surgical options, and the best choices for particular situations remain the subject of research and discussion.[59][63][64]
The likelyquality of life after treatment is a relevant factor when considering surgery.[65] Surgical outcomes are likely better in large centers where the procedures are frequently performed.[63] If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, esophagectomy is nowadays not normally performed.[63][66]
Esophagectomy is the removal of a segment of the esophagus; as this shortens the length of the remaining esophagus, some other segment of the digestive tract is pulled up through the chest cavity and interposed. This is usually thestomach or part of thelarge intestine (colon) orjejunum. Reconnection of the stomach to a shortened esophagus is called an esophagogastricanastomosis.[63]
Esophagectomy can be performed using several methods. The choice of the surgical approach depends on the characteristics and location of the tumor, and the preference of the surgeon. Clear evidence from clinical trials for which approaches give the best outcomes in different circumstances is lacking.[63] A first decision, regarding the point of entry, is between atranshiatal and atransthoracic procedure. The more recent transhiatal approach avoids the need to open the chest; instead the surgeon enters the body through an incision in the lower abdomen and another in the neck. The lower part of the esophagus is freed from the surrounding tissues and cut away as necessary. The stomach is then pushed through theesophageal hiatus (the hole where the esophagus passes through thediaphragm) and is joined to the remaining upper part of the esophagus at the neck.[63]
The traditional transthoracic approach enters the body through the chest, and has a number of variations. The thoracoabdominal approach opens the abdominal and thoracic cavities together, the two-stage Ivor Lewis (also called Lewis–Tanner) approach involves an initiallaparotomy and construction of agastric tube, followed by a right thoracotomy to excise the tumor and create an esophagogastric anastomosis. The three-stage McKeown approach adds a third incision in the neck to complete the cervical anastomosis. Recent approaches by some surgeons use what is called extended esophagectomy, where more surrounding tissue, includinglymph nodes, is removeden bloc.[63]
If the person cannot swallow at all, anesophageal stent may be inserted to keep the esophagus open;stents may also assist in occluding fistulas. Anasogastric tube may be necessary to continue feeding while treatment for the tumor is given, and some patients require agastrostomy (feeding hole in the skin that gives direct access to the stomach). The latter two are especially important if the patient tends to aspirate food or saliva into the airways, predisposing foraspiration pneumonia.[citation needed]
Chemotherapy depends on the tumor type, but tends to becisplatin-based (orcarboplatin oroxaliplatin) every three weeks withfluorouracil (5-FU) orcapecitabine either continuously or every three weeks. In more studies, addition ofepirubicin was better than other three drug regimens in advanced nonresectable cancer.[67] However, a meta-analysis in 2017 failed to demonstrate thatanthracyclines such asepirubicin improved survival.[68] Therefore in metastatic cancer, a two drug combination is now standard. Most recently with the addition of immune checkpoint inhibitors such asnivolumab[69] orpembrolizumab[70] which prolongs disease-free survival after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery in patients with residual locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, they are increasingly being incorporated into combined treatment strategies and are under investigation in both neoadjuvant and chemoradiation regimens.[71]
Chemotherapy may be given after surgery (adjuvant, i.e. to reduce risk of recurrence), before surgery (neoadjuvant) or if surgery is not possible.Cisplatin andfluorouracil were most commonly used a, however the REAL-2 trial confirmed thatoxaliplatin andcapecitabine were non-inferior and potentially more convenient.[72]
Radiotherapy is given before, during, or after chemotherapy or surgery, and sometimes on its own to control symptoms. In patients with localized disease but contraindications to surgery, "radical radiotherapy" may be used with curative intent.[medical citation needed]
Forms of endoscopic therapy have been used for stage 0 and I disease:endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR)[73] and mucosal ablation using radiofrequency ablation, photodynamic therapy, Nd-YAG laser, or argon plasma coagulation.
Laser therapy is the use of high-intensity light to destroy tumor cells while affecting only the treated area. This is typically done if the cancer cannot be removed by surgery. The relief of a blockage can help with pain and difficulty swallowing.Photodynamic therapy, a type of laser therapy, involves the use of drugs that are absorbed by cancer cells; when exposed to a special light, the drugs become active and destroy the cancer cells.
Patients are followed closely after a treatment regimen has been completed. Frequently, other treatments are used to improve symptoms and maximize nutrition.
In general, the prognosis of esophageal cancer is quite poor, because most patients present with advanced disease. By the time the first symptoms (such as difficulty swallowing) appear, the disease has already progressed. The overallfive-year survival rate (5YSR) in the United States is around 15%, and most people die within the first year of diagnosis.[74] The latest survival data for England and Wales (patients diagnosed during 2007) show that only one in ten people survives esophageal cancer for at least ten years.[75]
Individualized prognosis depends largely on stage. Those with cancer restricted entirely to the esophagealmucosa have about an 80% 5YSR, butsubmucosal involvement brings this down to less than 50%. Extension into themuscularis propria (muscle layer of the esophagus) suggests a 20% 5YSR, and extension to the structures adjacent to the esophagus predict a 7% 5YSR. Patients with distant metastases (who are not candidates for curative surgery) have a less than 3% 5YSR.[76]
Incidence of esophageal cancer in both sex per 100.000 population (age-standardized rate) in 2022
0–1
1–1.8
1.8–2.9
2.9–4.2
4.2–17.9
No data / Not applicable
Death from esophageal cancer per million persons in 2012
0-4
5-6
7-10
11-15
16-26
27-36
37-45
46-59
60-75
76-142
Esophageal cancer is the eighth most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide,[2] and because of its poor prognosis, it is the sixth most common cause of cancer-related deaths.[56] It caused about 400,000 deaths in 2012, accounting for about 5% of all cancer deaths (about 456,000 new cases were diagnosed, representing about 3% of all cancers).[2]
ESCC (esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma) comprises 60–70% of all cases of esophageal cancer worldwide, while EAC (esophageal adenocarcinoma) accounts for a further 20–30% (melanomas, leiomyosarcomas, carcinoids and lymphomas are less common types).[77] The incidence of the two main types of esophageal cancer varies greatly between different geographical areas.[78] In general, ESCC is more common in thedeveloping world, and EAC is more common in thedeveloped world.[2]
The worldwideincidence rate of ESCC in 2012 was 5.2 new cases per 100,000 person-years, with a male predominance (7.7 per 100,000 in men vs. 2.8 in women).[79] It was the common type in 90% of the countries studied.[79] ESCC is particularly frequent in the so-called "Asian esophageal cancer belt", an area that passes throughnorthern China, southernRussia, north-easternIran, northernAfghanistan and easternTurkey.[77] In 2012, about 80% of ESCC cases worldwide occurred in central and south-eastern Asia, and over half (53%) of all cases were in China.[79][verification needed] The countries with the highest estimated national incidence rates were (in Asia)Mongolia andTurkmenistan and (in Africa)Malawi,Kenya andUganda.[79] The problem of esophageal cancer has long been recognized in the eastern and southern parts ofSub-Saharan Africa, where ESCC appears to predominate.[80]
In Western countries, EAC has become the dominant form of the disease, following an increase in incidence over recent decades (in contrast to the incidence of ESCC, which has remained largely stable).[5][32] In 2012, the global incidence rate for EAC was 0.7 per 100,000 with a strong male predominance (1.1 per 100,000 in men vs. 0.3 in women). Areas with particularly high incidence rates include northern and western Europe, North America andOceania. The countries with highest recorded rates were theUK,Netherlands,Ireland,Iceland andNew Zealand.[79]
In the United States, esophageal cancer is the seventh-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among males (making up 4% of the total).[81] TheNational Cancer Institute estimated that there were about 18,000 new cases and more than 15,000 deaths from esophageal cancer in 2013; theAmerican Cancer Society estimated that during 2014, about 18,170 new esophageal cancer cases would be diagnosed, resulting in 15,450 deaths.[78][81]
The squamous-cell carcinoma type is more common amongAfrican American males with a history of heavy smoking or alcohol use. Until the 1970s, squamous-cell carcinoma accounted for the vast majority of esophageal cancers in the United States. In recent decades, incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus (which is associated with Barrett's esophagus) steadily rose in the United States to the point that it has now surpassed squamous-cell carcinoma. In contrast to squamous-cell carcinoma, esophageal adenocarcinoma is more common inwhite American men (over the age of 60) than it is in African Americans. Multiple reports indicate esophageal adenocarcinoma incidence has increased during the past 20 years, especially in non-Hispanic white men. Esophageal adenocarcinoma age-adjusted incidence increased inNew Mexico from 1973 to 2002. This increase was found in non-Hispanic whites andHispanics and became predominant in non-Hispanic whites.[82] Esophageal cancer incidence and mortality rates for African Americans continue to be higher than the rate for Causasians. However, incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer has significantly decreased among African Americans since the early 1980s, whereas with whites it has continued to increase.[83] Between 1975 and 2004, incidence of the adenocarcinoma type increased among white American males by over 460% and among white American females by 335%.[78]
The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has risen considerably in the UK in recent decades.[17] Overall, esophageal cancer is the thirteenth most common cancer in the UK (around 8,300 people were diagnosed with the disease in 2011), and it is the sixth most common cause of cancer death (around 7,700 people died in 2012).[84]
The genomics of esophageal adenocarcinoma is being studied usingcancer genome sequencing. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is characterized by complex tumor genomes[88][89] with heterogeneity within the tumor micro-environment.[89]
^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyMontgomery EA, Basman FT, Brennan P, Malekzadeh R (2014). "Oesophageal Cancer". In Stewart BW, Wild CP (eds.).World Cancer Report 2014. World Health Organization. pp. 528–543.ISBN978-92-832-0429-9.
^abcdAkhtar S (February 2013). "Areca nut chewing and esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma risk in Asians: a meta-analysis of case-control studies".Cancer Causes & Control.24 (2):257–265.doi:10.1007/s10552-012-0113-9.PMID23224324.S2CID14356684.
^abcdefghStahl M, Mariette C, Haustermans K, Cervantes A, Arnold D (October 2013). "Oesophageal cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up".Annals of Oncology.24 (Suppl 6):vi51 –vi56.doi:10.1093/annonc/mdt342.PMID24078662.
^Prabhu A, Obi KO, Rubenstein JH (June 2014). "The synergistic effects of alcohol and tobacco consumption on the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis".The American Journal of Gastroenterology.109 (6):822–827.doi:10.1038/ajg.2014.71.PMID24751582.S2CID205103765.
^abRutegård M, Lagergren P, Nordenstedt H, Lagergren J (July 2011). "Oesophageal adenocarcinoma: the new epidemic in men?".Maturitas.69 (3):244–248.doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.04.003.PMID21602001.
^Scherübl H, Steinberg J, Schwertner C, Mir-Salim P, Stölzel U, de Villiers EM (June 2008). "[Coincidental squamous cell cancers of the esophagus, head, and neck: risk and screening]" [Coincidental squamous cell cancers of the esophagus, head, and neck: risk and screening].Hno (in German).56 (6):603–608.doi:10.1007/s00106-007-1616-7.PMID17928979.S2CID9504791.
^"Tylosis with esophageal cancer".rarediseases.info.nih.gov. Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) – NIH. 18 January 2013. Archived fromthe original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved16 August 2014.
^Nyrén O, Adami HO (2008)."Esophageal Cancer". In Adami HO, Hunter DJ, Trichopoulos D (eds.).Textbook of Cancer Epidemiology. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. p. 224.ISBN978-0-19-531117-4.Archived from the original on 2015-10-25.
^Syrjänen K (January 2013). "Geographic origin is a significant determinant of human papillomavirus prevalence in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: systematic review and meta-analysis".Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases.45 (1):1–18.doi:10.3109/00365548.2012.702281.PMID22830571.S2CID22862509.
^Sultan R, Haider Z, Chawla TU (January 2016). "Diagnostic accuracy of CT scan in staging resectable esophageal cancer".The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association.66 (1):90–92.PMID26712189.
^Kim TJ, Kim HY, Lee KW, Kim MS (2009). "Multimodality assessment of esophageal cancer: preoperative staging and monitoring of response to therapy".Radiographics.29 (2):403–421.doi:10.1148/rg.292085106.PMID19325056.
^Bruzzi JF, Munden RF, Truong MT, Marom EM, Sabloff BS, Gladish GW, et al. (November 2007). "PET/CT of esophageal cancer: its role in clinical management".Radiographics.27 (6):1635–1652.doi:10.1148/rg.276065742.PMID18025508.
^Linder G, Korsavidou-Hult N, Bjerner T, Ahlström H, Hedberg J (September 2019). "18F-FDG-PET/MRI in preoperative staging of oesophageal and gastroesophageal junctional cancer".Clinical Radiology.74 (9):718–725.doi:10.1016/j.crad.2019.05.016.PMID31221468.S2CID80059143.
^Cancer arising at the junction between the esophagus and stomach is often classified asstomach cancer, as inICD-10. See:"C16 - Malignant neoplasm of the stomach".ICD-10 Version: 2015. World Health Organization.Archived from the original on 2 November 2015. Retrieved14 November 2014.
^abcdefgMendenhall WM, Werning JW, Pfister DG (2011). "Ch Chapter 72: Treatment of head and neck cancer". In DeVita Jr VT, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA (eds.).DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg's Cancer: Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology (9th ed.). Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 729–780.ISBN978-1-4511-0545-2. Online edition, with updates to 2014
^Parameswaran R, McNair A, Avery KN, Berrisford RG, Wajed SA, Sprangers MA,Blazeby JM (September 2008). "The role of health-related quality of life outcomes in clinical decision making in surgery for esophageal cancer: a systematic review".Annals of Surgical Oncology.15 (9):2372–2379.doi:10.1245/s10434-008-0042-8.PMID18626719.S2CID19933001.
^Ross P, Nicolson M, Cunningham D, Valle J, Seymour M, Harper P, et al. (April 2002). "Prospective randomized trial comparing mitomycin, cisplatin, and protracted venous-infusion fluorouracil (PVI 5-FU) With epirubicin, cisplatin, and PVI 5-FU in advanced esophagogastric cancer".Journal of Clinical Oncology.20 (8):1996–2004.doi:10.1200/JCO.2002.08.105.PMID11956258.
^Rha SY, Oh DY, Yañez P, et al. (2023). "Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus placebo plus chemotherapy for HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer (KEYNOTE-859): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial".The Lancet Oncology.24 (11):1181–1195.doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00515-6.
^Sun L, Yu S (November 2011). "Meta-analysis: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma".Diseases of the Esophagus.24 (8):544–549.doi:10.1111/j.1442-2050.2011.01198.x.PMID21539676.