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Oesophagus Cancer
Word Count:
1918
Summary:
Cancer of the oesophagus is one of the cancers of the digestive tract of the most
serious prognosis. Incidence and death rates are higher for populations other than
the white race. As far as the incidence rate is concerned, the cancer is classified
on the 13th position among men and on the 29th position among women. As far as the
death rate is concerned, it is classified on the 12th and 25th positions
respectively.
Keywords:
cancer, oesophagus, therapy, diagnosis
Article Body:
Copyright 2006 Radoslaw Pilarski
Epidemiology
Cancer of the oesophagus is one of the cancers of the digestive tract of the most
serious prognosis. Incidence and death rates are higher for populations other than
the white race (5-years long survival rate in the United States in years 1992 -
1999 equalled 15% for the white race and 9%for others). As far as the incidence
rate is concerned, the cancer is classified on the 13th position among men and on
the 29th position among women. As far as the death rate is concerned, it is
classified on the 12th and 25th positions respectively.
The following regions are characterized by the highest incidence rate: north Iran,
southern republics of the former USSR and the north of China - over 100 for 100,000
(Asian belt of cancer of the oesophagus). Medium incidence rate - Sri Lanka, India,
South Africa, France, Switzerland: 10-50 for 100,000; low - Europe, Japan, Great
Britain, Canada - under 10 for 100,000.
Etiology
Culturally inclined dietary habits increase the risk of incidence in Asia, south
Africa, south America and the Middle East; in Europe and in the USA these are
tobacco use and alcohol abuse.
Additional risk factors: Tylosis Plantaris, Plummer syndrome / Vinson and Patterson
/ Kelly, Achalasia, Pre-existing presence of caustic substances, Pre-existing
cancers of respiratory and digestive tract, Barrett's oesophagus Infections of
Helicobacter Pyroli and Human Papilloma Virus.
Classification
Diagnostics
Surgery
Surgery usually consists in a removal of the tumour together with a part or the
whole of the oesophagus and surrounding lymph nodes and tissues. Then, the
remaining part of the oesophagus is joined to the stomach in the cervical area in
order to preserve swallowing ability. Sometimes, endoprostheses are used, however,
usually only of stomach or intestine . An additional joint of the stomach directly
to the intestine may be carried out in order to facilitate passage of food from the
stomach to the intestine. It should be remembered that this type of surgery depends
mainly on the general state of a patient and the stage of cancer development.
Transhiatal esophagectomy (m. Orringer). 1. Upper part of abdomen and lower part of
neck are opened, no direct invasion in the chest. 2. Oesophagus is dissected with
care from mediastinal structures and then removed. 3. Subsequently, stomach is
connected with the cervical part of the oesophagus (end-to-end esophagogastrostomy)
carried in the site of anterior mediastinum. Transmediastinal esophagectomy (m.
Akiyama). 1. Chest is opened on the left and right side (more often on the right
side, with the tumour in the upper and middle part of the oesophagus, and taking
into consideration the aortic arch; more often on the left if the tumour is
localized in the joint of the oesophagus and the stomach). 2. Incision in the sixth
left intercostal area exposes anterior mediastinum. 3. Semicircular incision of the
diaphragm, 1 inch from the costal arch, exposes upper part of abdomen. 4.
Oesophagus is removed with perioesophageal nodes and nodes of lesser curvature of
the stomach 5. Substitute is made mainly from stomach: a) with incision made on the
right side, laparotomy is additionally performed in order to prepare stomach and to
place in the site in the anterior mediastinum or in the retrosternal area, b) with
incision made on the left side, stomach is pulled under the aortic arch and joined
to cervical stump of the oesophagus. Esophagectomy en bloc. 1. It consists in
excision of the tumour with a wide margin including surrounding structures in the
background together with pleura and with pericardium in front. 2. Lymphatic vessels
placed between the oesophagus, aorta and thoracic duct are excised en bloc. 3.
Anterior mediastinum excision guarantees complete removal of nodes from the split
of trachea to oesophageal hiatus. 4. Hepatic, visceral, left gastric nodes and
nodes of lesser curvature of the stomach, parahiatal and retroperitoneal, which
reduces the number of local post operational metastases to less than 10%.
Esophagectomy en bloc with tripolar lymphadenectomy It consists in additional
excision of cervical nodes.
Radiotherapy
Chemotherapy
In the phase of controlled clinical tests, other ways of treatment are possible,
such as laser therapy or photodynamic therapy (PDT).
Palliative treatment
Over 70% of the diagnosed patients cannot be qualified for surgical treatment
because of the extensiveness of cancerous changes. Palliative treatment is intended
to improve the general state of a patient, decrease ailment and difficulties
swallowing. The following methods are applied: Palliative resection Evasive
connections - creation of a bridge evading a narrowing or a closure of the inside
diameter of the oesophagus. Oesophageal prostheses. Gastric and intestinal fistula,
including microfistula of small intestine - enabling feeding directly to the inside
diameter of the intestine. Mechanical widening of the narrowing. Self-widening
Stent's mass. Laser therapy - a surgery consisting in introducing a fiberscope with
a laser light into the oesophagus, with breaks lasting several days, which enables
exfoliation of cells and widening of the inside diameter of the oesophagus. The
most popular laser: Nd Yag laser.