17th July 2023

Oesophageal Cancers

There are two main forms of oesophageal malignancy:

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) – most commonly located in the upper ⅔ of the oesophagus
• Adenocarcinoma – most commonly located in the lower ⅓ of the oesophagus

Traditionally, SSC has been more prevalent in Western nations, however, in the last century, adenocarcinoma has become the leading cause of oesophageal cancer. Key symptoms include dysphagia and weight loss. Unfortunately, many patients with oesophageal cancer present late with unresectable, locally advanced disease. There are various risk factors (Table 6).
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Table 6: Risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus