Esophageal Cancer
What Is Esophageal Cancer? This cancer is relatively common and one of the most deadly of all the associated diseases. As recent as 1998, 12,000 of the 12,300 new cases died of their disease. This is partly because of the location within the body. It’s hard to watch television for more than a few minutes without seeing a commercial about some pharmaceutical product to control heartburn or acid reflux. Acid reflux, or stomach acids rising into the esophagus and damaging cells (known as squamous cells), is the leading cause of this disease. These damaged squamous cells lead to more than 80% of all esophageal cancers. It’ll make you think the next time you eat greasy ribs and then reach for the anti-acids. When damaged squamous cells reproduce and make more abnormal cells, they grow, and invade more of the esophagus. What Are Esophageal Cancer Symptoms? Oncoming symptoms can be: difficulty swallowing, also known as dysphagia. Often times, without realizing it, the victim will change eating habits to compensate for difficult swallowing. They may eat softer foods, less meat, and less bread. When the problem gets worse, the person may again change their eating habits to compensate. This time they may stop eating solid foods altogether, and change to a liquid diet. The body seems to make excess saliva at this time, and many victims complain of bringing up lots of thick mucus or saliva. Pain is an additional symptom. This can range from heart burn, to pressure, or burning in the chest. Pain can also be present during, or immediately after, swallowing when food seems to get caught part way down to the stomach. Because of difficult or painful swallowing, many victims lose body weight. It becomes hard to maintain their previous weight when they can't eat as usual. Sometimes the area around the disease will bleed. When this blood passes through the digestive system, it can cause dark or black stools. Dark stools should always alarm the person that something is wrong somewhere. How Is Esophageal Cancer Detected and Diagnosed? This takes proper testing. It can involve a barium swallow followed by x-rays. It could also take test to include computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scan, or insertion of an endoscope to view the area and take a tissue sample for a biopsy. After Diagnosis, What Is Esophageal Cancer Staging? Staging is set as stage 0,1, 2, 3, 4, or recurrent. Stage-3 usually includes invasion of the lymph nodes, while stage-4 means it has spread to distant sites, organs, or tissues. What Are Traditional Treatments of Esophageal Cancer? These include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy; with surgery beng the most common treatment used. During surgery, only the cancerous portions and neighboring lymph nodes can be removed, called Esophagectomy... -or- The surgical procedure can remove the entire esophagus and the top portion of the stomach, called Radical Esophagectomy. If the last procedure is used, things get really complex and costly because a new esophagus will need to be constructed of something. They often remove a part of the intestine for this purpose. Both of the above procedures are most likely followed by chemotherapy. A newer therapy called
Photodynamic Therapy
(PDT) is sometimes used instead of the above. This therapy uses laser-sensitive porfimer sodium, a chemical, injected into the tumor site. After injection, a laser beam targets the chemcals to destroy the tumor.
Alternative Cancer Treatments That Work!
When I was diagnosed in January 2007, my doctor gave me as short as 3-months to live and rated my cancer somewhere between stage 3 or 4. Without checking any alternatives, I started chemotherapy at my health care provider’s oncology department. I was scheduled for 6-rounds of chemotherapy; each round was a double-bag. During my second infusion, I experienced a deathly reaction to the chemicals and almost died in the treatment chair. That near-death experience was the catalyst that sent me in search of Alternative Cancer Treatments. After weeks of searching, I found a wonderful clinic which was recommended in one of Kevin Trudeau’s books. I devoured the website information and read all the survivor’s testimonials. Then, my husband and I discussed and prayed about the possibilities of me going to the clinic. It was a big decision to go; it shouldn’t have been, but it was. I had butterflies like I have never had them before. Then, together my husband and I made the decision for me to go to the clinic. The treatments were for two-weeks; now they do three-weeks for less money than I paid for my two-weeks. I regained my energy and smile back almost instantly after the treatments began. After returning home, I made an appointment with oncology. He ordered another PET-scan because he couldn’t detect any cancer remaining when he physically examined me. I held my breath for about a week until the results came back…Cancer-Free!! That was three-years ago. I have full faith that you can become the next cancer survivor by going to the clinic. Take your opportunity now and have a FREE CONFIDENTIAL MEDICAL EVALUATION, to discover if you are a good candidate for Alternative Cancer Treatments. Get the clinic name by going to my
Cancer Survivor
page and use the “Clinic Name Request Form” You’ll be so happy you did!!
Peggy Sue Roberts
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