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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staff
Tests and procedures used to diagnose esophageal cancer include:
- Using a scope to examine your esophagus (endoscopy). During endoscopy, your doctor passes a hollow tube equipped with a lens (endoscope) down your throat and into your esophagus. Using the endoscope, your doctor examines your esophagus looking for cancer or areas of irritation.
- X-rays of your esophagus. Sometimes called a barium swallow, an upper gastrointestinal series or an esophagram, this series of X-rays is used to examine your esophagus. During the test, you drink a thick liquid (barium) that temporarily coats the lining of your esophagus, so the lining shows up clearly on the X-rays.
- Collecting a sample of tissue for testing (biopsy). A special scope passed down your throat into your esophagus (endoscope) or down your windpipe and into your lungs (bronchoscope) can be used to collect a sample of suspicious tissue (biopsy). What type of biopsy procedure you undergo depends on your situation. The tissue sample is sent to a laboratory to look for cancer cells.
Esophageal cancer staging
When you're diagnosed with esophageal cancer, your doctor works to determine the extent (stage) of the cancer. Your cancer's stage helps determine your treatment options. Tests used in staging esophageal cancer include computerized tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET).
The stages of esophageal cancer are:
- Stage I. This cancer occurs only in the top layer of cells lining your esophagus.
- Stage II. The cancer has invaded deeper layers of your esophagus lining and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
- Stage III. The cancer has spread to the deepest layers of the wall of your esophagus and to nearby tissues or lymph nodes.
- Stage IV. The cancer has spread to other parts of your body.
References
- Swanson S. Surgical management of localized esophageal cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 3, 2011.
- Esophageal cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/esophageal.pdf. Accessed March 4, 2011.
- Esophageal cancer treatment (PDQ) health professional version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/esophageal/healthprofessional/allpages. Accessed March 4, 2011.
- Esophageal cancer screening (PDQ) health professional version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/esophageal/healthprofessional/allpages. Accessed March 4, 2011.
- Eating hints for cancer patients: Before, during and after treatment. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/eatinghints. Accessed March 4, 2011.
- Lagergren J, et al. Oesophageal cancer. British Medical Journal. 2010;341:1207.
- Management of esophageal cancer. Current Problems in Surgery. 2010;47:845.
- NCCN guidelines: Esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancers. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp. Accessed March 4, 2011.
- Gan S, et al. Advances in clinical practice: New endoscopic and surgical treatment options for early esophageal adenocarcinoma. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2010;50:1478.
- Campbell NP, et al. World Journal of Gastroenterology. Neoadjuvant treatment of esophageal cancer. 2010;16:3793.
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