Esophageal malignancy

Preventative Imaging to Assess Risk of Esophageal malignancy

There are two common types of esophageal carcinoma. These are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma arises from the epithelial cells that line the esophagus. Adenocarcinoma arises from the glandular cells in the lower third of the esophagus. Symptoms usually appear after the cancer has infiltrated over 60% of the circumference of the esophagus by which time the carcinoma is in an advanced stage.The earliest way to detect a developing malignancy in the esophagus is by direct visualization of the tissue lining of the esophagus.