Oesophageal cancer

What is oesophageal cancer?

• The oesophagus is a hollow muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach¹
• Oesophageal cancer starts in the inner layer of the oesophagus and grows into the other layers ¹

Types of oesophageal cancer

• There are 2 main types of oesophageal cancer:
  • Squamous cell carcinoma¹
  • Adenocarcinoma¹

Who gets oesophageal cancer?

• Oesophageal cancer mostly affects people over the age of 60 years; the average age at diagnosis is 72 years²
• It is much more common in males than in females²
• It is closely related to smoking tobacco and to drinking alcohol; it is very much more likely to develop in people who both smoke and drink heavily²
• It is the 8th most common cancer worldwide³
• 456,000 new cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2012³

Screening, detection, and diagnosis

• The 2 most common tests used to diagnose oesophageal cancer are:
  • Endoscopy⁴
  • Barium swallow⁴
• Other tests may include:
  • Imaging tests such as X-ray, CT, and PET⁴
  • Laparoscopy⁴

Patient guidelines

A patient guideline is a document containing information for patients and their families about their disease and the treatment options available to them

Click here to see the European patient guideline on your condition⁵

Local support groups

Contacting a support group may help you during diagnosis and treatment and afterwards

Infographics

Click here for information on the incidence of oesophageal cancer in Europe⁶