Ernest H. Rosenbaum, MD, Carlos Pellegrini MD, T. Stanley Meyler, MD, Lawrence Margolis, MD, Malin Dollinger, MD, and David R. Byrd, MD
The first recorded case of esophageal cancer was described in China 2,000 years ago. It was called ye ge, which seems to have been a polite way of referring to difficult swallowing (dysphagia) and belching. It is a treatable and sometimes curable cancer, although most patients have a poor prognosis because the cancer is usually advanced by the time symptoms appear.
Special attention to good nutrition is an important part of treatment, especially since people in good physical condition with minimal weight loss have a better prognosis. Overall five-year survival for cases amenable to surgery is about 5 to 20 percent; only 25 to 40 percent of cases are amenable to surgery. Earlier diagnosis and treatment can improve survival. Recent improvements in radiation therapy and chemotherapy results are somewhat encouraging.
Esophageal cancer is relatively uncommon in the United States, affecting about 11,000 Americans each year, with an estimated 10,400 deaths in 1994. It is responsible for 1.5 percent of all cancers in the U.S. and 7 percent of gastrointestinal cancers.
