How long do you live when you have esophagus cancer?!
Question: How long do you live when you have esophagus cancer!?
Answers:
Because esophageal cancer usually is not diagnosed until the disease has spread, the death rate is high!. Fewer than 5% of people survive more than 5 years!. Many die within a year of noticing the first symptoms!. Because nearly all cases of esophageal cancer are fatal, the doctor's main objective is to control symptoms, especially pain and the inability to swallow, which can be very frightening to the person and loved ones!.
Surgery to remove a tumor offers the most prolonged relief but seldom cures, because the cancer usually has spread by the time of surgery!. Chemotherapy, alone or with radiation therapy, may relieve symptoms and lengthen survival time by a few months!. Sometimes pre-operative radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy can increase the surgical cure rate!. Other measures that aim only to relieve symptoms include widening (dilating) the narrowed area of the esophagus and then inserting a tube (a stent) to keep the esophagus open; bypassing the tumor using a loop of intestine; and performing laser phototherapy, in which a high-energy beam of light is directed at the growth to destroy the cancer tissue obstructing the esophagus!.
Another technique for symptom relief is photodynamic therapy, in which a light-sensitive dye (contrast agent) is given intravenously 48 hours before treatment!. The dye is absorbed by cancer cells to a much greater degree than by the cells of normal surrounding esophageal tissue!. When activated by light from a laser passed into the esophagus through an endoscope, the dye destroys cancer tissue, thus opening the esophagus!. Photodynamic therapy destroys obstructing lesions more rapidly than radiation or chemotherapy in people who cannot tolerate surgery because of poor health!.
Adequate nutrition makes any type of treatment more feasible and tolerable!. People who can swallow may receive concentrated liquid nutritional supplements!. People who cannot swallow may need temporary tube feeding or intravenous feeding!.
Because death is likely, a person with esophageal cancer should make all necessary plans!. The person should have frank discussions with the doctor about wishes for medical care and the need for end-of-life care!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Surgery to remove a tumor offers the most prolonged relief but seldom cures, because the cancer usually has spread by the time of surgery!. Chemotherapy, alone or with radiation therapy, may relieve symptoms and lengthen survival time by a few months!. Sometimes pre-operative radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy can increase the surgical cure rate!. Other measures that aim only to relieve symptoms include widening (dilating) the narrowed area of the esophagus and then inserting a tube (a stent) to keep the esophagus open; bypassing the tumor using a loop of intestine; and performing laser phototherapy, in which a high-energy beam of light is directed at the growth to destroy the cancer tissue obstructing the esophagus!.
Another technique for symptom relief is photodynamic therapy, in which a light-sensitive dye (contrast agent) is given intravenously 48 hours before treatment!. The dye is absorbed by cancer cells to a much greater degree than by the cells of normal surrounding esophageal tissue!. When activated by light from a laser passed into the esophagus through an endoscope, the dye destroys cancer tissue, thus opening the esophagus!. Photodynamic therapy destroys obstructing lesions more rapidly than radiation or chemotherapy in people who cannot tolerate surgery because of poor health!.
Adequate nutrition makes any type of treatment more feasible and tolerable!. People who can swallow may receive concentrated liquid nutritional supplements!. People who cannot swallow may need temporary tube feeding or intravenous feeding!.
Because death is likely, a person with esophageal cancer should make all necessary plans!. The person should have frank discussions with the doctor about wishes for medical care and the need for end-of-life care!.Www@Answer-Health@Com