Esophageal Cancer Flashcards
What are the two predominant histologic types of esophageal cancer?
Adenocarcinoma (most common in the United States)
squamous cell carcinoma (most common worldwide)
Risk factors for esophageal cancer
Gastroesophageal reflux
smoking
alcohol consumption
nutritional deficiencies
environmental carcinogens
long-standing achalasia
caustic injury
commonly reported symptoms at the time of presentation for esophageal cancer?
Regurgitation, odynophagia, weight loss, and hematemesis.
What is the most common presenting symptom
Dysphagia
How do patients typically compensate for symptoms in the early phases of esophageal obstruction?
adjusting their diet and consuming semisolid and liquid nutrition as tolerated
At what point does dysphagia typically present in esophageal cancer patients?
tumor occludes two-thirds of the lumen.
Why are patients typically at an advanced stage at the time of esophageal cancer diagnosis?
Because symptoms often present late.
How might patients with a history of reflux disease be diagnosed earlier with esophageal cancer?
Through surveillance endoscopy.
What is the first study recommended in the diagnostic workup of esophageal cancer?
Barium swallow
What is considered the gold standard for evaluating esophageal cancer and obtaining a tissue diagnosis?
EGD
How many biopsies should be taken during an EGD following the Seattle protocol for esophageal cancer?
Six to eight four-quadrant biopsies should be taken along every centimeter of gross disease
What is the role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
helps with early staging, determining tumor invasion (T stage), assessing suspicious lymph nodes (N stage), and detecting regional metastases (M stage)
What classification does EUS help determine that is important for guiding treatment pathways?
The Siewert classification
How does the addition of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) benefit the diagnostic process in esophageal cancer?
improves the accuracy of the diagnosis
What is Siewert Type I adenocarcinoma?
Adenocarcinoma of the lower esophagus with the epicenter located within 1 to 5 cm above the anatomic gastroesophageal junction (GEJ)
What defines Siewert Type II adenocarcinoma?
True carcinoma of the cardia with the tumor epicenter within 1 cm above and 2 cm below the esophagogastric junction (EGJ).
What is Siewert Type III adenocarcinoma, and how is it managed?
Subcardial carcinoma with the tumor epicenter between 2 and 5 cm below the EGJ, which infiltrates the EGJ and lower esophagus from below. It is considered gastric cancer and follows the gastric cancer algorithm for management.
What stage of esophageal cancer can endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) be considered therapeutic for?
Early-stage disease (T1a or T1b)
What is the typical size of nodular lesions suitable for EMR in esophageal cancer patients?
Lesions ≤ 2 cm
What should be done with focal nodules during an EMR?
completely excised and sent for pathology
asses Depth of invasion, degree of differentiation, and presence of vascular and/or lymphatic invasion.
factors are associated with a greater risk of lymph node involvement in esophageal cancer?
Poor differentiation
deep submucosal invasion
and/or lymphovascular invasion (LVI)
What imaging modality is indicated to evaluate for metastatic disease and locoregional extent in esophageal cancer patients?
CT) of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis with oral and IV contrast
What is a limitation of CT in the evaluation of esophageal cancer?
It is poorly sensitive for early-stage disease, the type of Siewert location, and distinguishing T3 from T4 lesions
What esophageal thickness on CT is considered abnormal?
Esophageal thickening of more than 5 mm
What imaging modality is used to assess for metastatic disease in esophageal cancer?
FDG-PET)/CT
When should bronchoscopy be performed in esophageal cancer patients?
In patients with tumors at or above the carina and no evidence of M1 disease
What is the treatment for pTis adenocarcinoma of the esophagus?
Endoscopic resection (ER) ± ablation or esophagectomy
What is the treatment for pTis squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus
ER and/or ablation or esophagectomy.
What is the treatment for pT1a adenocarcinoma of the esophagus?
ER ± ablation or esophagectomy.
What is the treatment for pT1a squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus?
ER and/or ablation or esophagectomy.
What is the treatment for superficial pT1b adenocarcinoma of the esophagus?
ER ± ablation or esophagectomy
What is the treatment for superficial pT1b squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus?
Esophagectomy.
What is the recommended treatment for cT1bN0-cT2N0 (low-risk lesions: < 3 cm, well-differentiated) adenocarcinoma?
Esophagectomy.
What is the recommended treatment for cT1bN0-cT2N0 (low-risk lesions: < 3 cm, well-differentiated) squamous cell carcinoma?
Esophagectomy (for non-cervical esophagus).