Overview:

Cancers of the esophagus or stomach can be aggressive and require early diagnosis and multimodal treatment.

Symptoms:

• Difficulty swallowing (progressive)

• Weight loss

• Chest or upper abdominal pain

• Nausea or vomiting

• Black stools (indicating bleeding)

• Fatigue

Diagnosis:

• Endoscopy with biopsy

• CT scan, PET scan

• Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)

Treatment Options:

Surgery:

• Esophagectomy (removal of part or all of the esophagus)

• Gastrectomy (partial or total removal of the stomach)

• Minimally invasive or open techniques

• Lymph node dissection is often performed to check for spread

Other Treatments:

• Chemotherapy

• Radiation therapy

• Targeted therapy

• Immunotherapy (for advanced or metastatic disease)

Prognosis:

• Depends on stage at diagnosis, tumor location, and response to therapy.