Life With Esophageal Cancer

09/06/2025

If your voice is weak after recurrent laryngeal nerve damage, this podcast talks about options for renewing the voice.

07/26/2025

What is the biggest question you had that your doctor did not explain well when you were first diagnosed?

07/24/2025

Our Summary of Esophageal Cancer

If you have had reflux for >5 years, get an upper endoscopy to screen for esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer is a malignancy that arises from the esophagus, the muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach. There are two primary types:
1. Squamous Cell Carcinoma – Originates from the squamous cells lining the upper and middle parts of the esophagus; more common in areas with to***co & alcohol use.
2. Adenocarcinoma – Develops from glandular cells, typically in the lower esophagus, often associated with Barrett’s esophagus & chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Risk Factors:
• Smoking and heavy alcohol use (squamous)
• Chronic GERD & Barrett’s esophagus (adenocarcinoma)
• Obesity
• Male s*x and older age
• Diet low in fruits/vegetables
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (less common)

Symptoms:
• Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
• Weight loss
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Hoarseness or chronic cough
• Vomiting or regurgitation of food

Diagnosis:
• Endoscopy with biopsy (definitive)
• Barium swallow for structural assessment
• CT, PET-CT, or endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for staging and metastasis detection

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Staging Esophageal Cancer (TNM System – AJCC 8th Edition)

Staging is crucial for determining prognosis and treatment. It uses the TNM classification:

T – Tumor (Depth of Invasion)
• Tis: Carcinoma in situ (high-grade dysplasia)
• T1: Invades lamina propria, muscularis mucosae, or submucosa
• T1a: Limited to mucosa
• T1b: Invades submucosa
• T2: Invades muscularis propria
• T3: Invades adventitia
• T4: Invades adjacent structures
• T4a: Resectable (pleura, pericardium, diaphragm)
• T4b: Unresectable (aorta, vertebral body, trachea)

N – Nodes (Lymph Node Involvement)
• N0: No regional lymph node metastasis
• N1: 1–2 regional lymph nodes
• N2: 3–6 regional lymph nodes
• N3: ≥7 regional lymph nodes

M – Metastasis
• M0: No distant metastasis
• M1: Distant metastasis present

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Stage Groupings (Simplified):

Stage T N M
0 (in situ) Tis N0 M0
I T1 N0 M0
II T2–T3 N0 or N1 M0
III T3–T4a N1–N3 M0
IV Any T Any N M1

Note: Location (upper, middle, lower esophagus), histology (squamous vs. adeno), and grade also affect stage classification.

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Staging Modalities:
• Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS): Best for T & N staging
• CT/PET-CT: Detects distant metastasis
• Laparoscopy/Thoracoscopy: May be used in select patients to evaluate resectability. When the tumor is low, a staging laparoscopy with washing can rule-out malignant peritoneal disease.

07/24/2025

This video explains how to repair a tracheoesophageal fistula. It is the best example we have seen when patients develop a high tracheal connection to the esophagus and explains which ones can be stented and which ones can be repaired.

Dr. Blackmon and her team at Baylor College of Medicine work together to present their approach to TEFs and specifically demonstrate a lateral cervical appro...

07/10/2025

https://x.com/bcm_surgery/status/1943040227377058064?s=46&t=FRChNRYZZnp1xfRkAATbxg

07/04/2025

https://www.bcm.edu/news/unlocking-the-mystery-behind-barretts-esophagus

A team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Washington University School of Medicine has shed light on the process that drives Barrett’s...

07/03/2025

Her journey started with esophageal cancer surgery, but something went wrong- she developed a stricture and journeyed for help to close a tracheoesophageal fistula and then get complex esophageal reconstruction…

Learn more about Sandy Tovey's battle with esophageal cancer and tracheoesophageal fistula, as well as her recovery after complications.

06/25/2025

https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/EDBK-25-474562

Distress and isolation frequently affect individuals with cancer and oncology care providers. Both oncology care teams and patient communities play a crucial role in offering support during challenging times. These networks help individuals feel less ...Cancer causes distress and isolation. Peer con...

06/01/2025

https://www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/cms/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2025.02.028/asset/ae9ef0fb-1132-4751-9f09-82d48ce7f2d7/main.assets/ga1_lrg.jpg

05/31/2025

Here are options for esophageal reconstruction

Abou Chaar MK, Alwatari Y, Corl FM, Taki Aldin S, Mardini S, Blackmon SH. Complex Esophageal Reconstruction: Challenges and Techniques. Ann Thorac Surg. 2025 Apr 21:S0003-4975(25)00326-1. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2025.02.028. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40274211.

10/23/2024

What are the top ten ways i can help someone diagnosed with esophageal cancer?
1. Connect them to a support group
2. Take them to doctor visits and keep them company
3. Offer to research questions they might have
4. Learn to bring tasty esophagectomy-friendly low sugar easy-to-eat protein shakes if they are eating
5. Set up a caring bridge website for them
6. Find books that might help them on their journey (https://fightec.org/ecef-media/literature/) (https://www.target.com/p/the-support-group-by-shanda-blackmon-hardcover/-/A-88282329)(https://www.amazon.com/EVERYTHING-ABOUT-ESOPHAGEAL-CANCER-MANAGEMENT/dp/B0D7C4YF5W?dplnkId=f2d40bcb-da3f-4c27-a6e2-8463e859b5bc&nodl=1)
7. Spend quality time with them

Books 100 Questions & Answers about Esophageal Cancer “100 Questions & Answers about Esophageal Cancer” was published by Jones and […]

10/23/2024

Who doesn’t benefit from esophagectomy?
1. Someone who had all of the tumor eradicated from chemoradiation
2. Someone who has metastatic disease
3. Someone who has an incomplete resection with a positive margin left behind

Who benefits from esophagectomy?
1. Anyone who has residual cancer after treatment with chemoradiation therapy

How can you know if you have cancer after chemoradiation?
1. Although they are not perfect, CT scan, endoscopy, PET Scan and biopsies can show remaining disease
2. An area of current exploration is ctDNA, which measures microscopic tumor cells that might be circulating in the blood stream in cancer patients.

Today, we do not have a perfect way of telling patients if their disease is gone after chemoradiation, and that is why many advocate for esophagectomy, which is the current standard of care.