Symptoms & Signs
- Backwards movement of food through the esophagus and possibly mouth (regurgitation)
- Chest pain unrelated to eating
- Difficulty swallowing solids or liquids
- Heartburn
- Vomiting blood
- Weight loss
Diagnosis & Tests
Tests used to help diagnose esophageal cancer may include:
- Barium swallow
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and biopsy
- Chest MRI or thoracic CT (usually used to help determine the stage of the disease)
- PET scan (sometimes useful for determining the stage of disease, and whether surgery is possible)
- Endoscopic ultrasound (also sometimes used to determine the stage of disease)
Stool testing may show small amounts of (occult) blood in the stool.
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Esophageal cancer : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Esophageal cancer : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Esophageal cancer : Treatment
Review Date : 10/20/2009
Reviewed By : David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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