Esophageal Cancer

• Surgery for esophageal cancer may cause short term pain and tenderness in the area of the operation, but this discomfort or pain can be controlled with medicine. Patients are taught special breathing and coughing exercises to keep their lungs clear.

• Radiation Therapy affects normal as well as cancerous cells. Side effects of radiation therapy depend mainly on the dose and the part of the body that is treated. Common side effects of radiation therapy to the esophagus are a dry, sore mouth and throat; difficulty swallowing; swelling of the mouth and gums; dental cavities; fatigue; skin changes at the site of treatment; and loss of appetite.
• Chemotherapy, like radiation therapy, affects normal as well as cancerous cells. Side effects depend largely on the specific drugs and the dose (amount of drug administered). Common side effects of chemotherapy include nausea and vomiting, poor appetite, hair loss, skin rash and itching, mouth and lip sores, diarrhea, and fatigue. These side effects generally go away gradually during the recovery periods between treatments or after treatment is over.
• Laser Therapy can cause short term pain where the treatment was given, but this discomfort can be controlled with medicine.
• Photodynamic Therapy makes the skin and eyes highly sensitive to light for 6 weeks or more after treatment. Other temporary side effects of PDT may include coughing, trouble swallowing, abdominal pain, and painful breathing or shortness of breath.

Page 1 Esophageal Cancer - The Esophagus
Page 2 Risk Factors
Page 3 Recognizing Symptoms
Page 4 Staging the Disease
Page 5 Treatment
Page 6 Side Effects of Treatment
Page 7 Nutrition
Page 8 Questions for Your Doctor
Page 9 Resources

References:
www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/esophagus