Esophageal Cancer Prevention

It is important to refrain from tobacco use and limit alcohol consumption to avoid esophageal cancer. People with symptoms of severe gastroesophageal reflux should seek medical attention.

Help Reduce Your Risk of Esophageal Cancer

• If you smoke, please consider getting help to quit through one of WellStar's tobacco cessation programs. WellStar physicians know that not smoking is one of the most important things a person can do to avoid cancer.
• Avoid excess body fat by limiting caloric intake and/or balance caloric intake with ample moderate-to-vigorous exercise.
• Limit alcoholic beverages to no more than one a day.
• Seek medical attention if you experience symptoms of severe gastroesophageal reflux.

Tests and Screenings for Esophageal Cancer

In part because esophageal cancer is not as common as other cancers, there are no routine screening tests for the disease. Your WellStar physician might employ one of several methods to detect esophageal cancer which might include:

• Upper Endoscopy: This test is designed to allow your Wellstar doctor see the lining of the esophagus, stomach and the first section of the small intestine. An endoscopy involves a thin flexible, lighted tube that is placed your throat while you're sedated. If the doctor sees anything abnormal, he or she can take a tissue sample from the suspicious area.
• Upper GI series: A GI series will first involve the patient drinking a liquid containing the mineral barium. The barium will then coat the lining of the esophagus and an X-ray will be able to detect anything that isn't normal in the lining of the gastric organs.
• Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS): In an ultrasound, sound waves are used to make images of your esophagus and related areas. In addition to diagnosing esophageal cancer, an ultrasound can determine whether the cancer has spread, and, if so, where. WellStar does more than many university settings, using endoscopic ultrasounds for staging of cancer.
• Computed Tomography or CT Scan: A CT scan is a technique for imaging body tissues and organs, during which X-ray transmissions are converted to detailed images, using a computer to synthesize X-ray data. A CT scan is conducted with a scanner that rotates around the body to capture detailed images of the organs and tissues inside the body. This method is more sensitive and precise than the chest X-ray.
• Positron emission tomography (PET): Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning has been used to improve the detection of cancer. PET scanning is a powerful tool for staging lung cancer and it is capable of detecting cancer in lung tissues, lymph nodes, bones and other organs in the body.
• Magnetic Resonance Imagery or MRI: During MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer makes detailed pictures of areas inside the body, predominately the brain. WellStar offers an "open" MRI for those uncomfortable with the closed-tube traditional model.