Gastrointestinal Cancer and Complementary Therapies
Mary J. Marian, Gerard E. Mullin in Integrating Nutrition Into Practice, 2017
There are two types of esophageal cancer: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The classification is dependent on the type of cancerous cell growth. Squamous cell carcinoma consists of cancerous cells arising from the squamous cell tissue that line the esophagus. Adenocarcinoma includes cancerous growth from the glandular cells that have replaced squamous cells and tends to be diagnosed more frequently than squamous cell carcinoma, and typically forms in the lower portion of the esophagus near the stomach. Esophageal cancer risk increases with heavy alcohol use, smoking, Helicobacter pylori infection, human papillomavirus, esophageal achalasia, consumption of scalding foods and/or fluids, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and Barrett’s esophagus (American Cancer Society, 2013). Risk also tends to be three to four times higher in men than in women with a lifetime risk of 1 in 125 men and 1 in 435 women (American Cancer Society, 2013).
Endoscopic Biopsy Demonstrating High-Grade Dysplasia in Barrett’s Esophagus
Savio George Barreto, Shailesh V. Shrikhande in Dilemmas in Abdominal Surgery, 2020
Barrett’s esophagus is present when the normal distal esophageal squamous mucosa is replaced by a metaplastic columnar mucosa containing goblet cells (intestinal metaplasia). This is visible at esophagoscopy by the characteristic “salmon-pink” appearance and confirmed by mucosal biopsy. It is identified at endoscopy performed to investigate suspected gastroesophageal reflux symptoms in approximately 10% of individuals and is present in 1–2% of all adults in many Western countries. Barrett’s esophagus is a significant issue as it is the only known precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Esophageal cancer can be of two subtypes (squamous and adenocarcinoma), with squamous cell cancer more common in Asia and many parts of the world. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is an increasingly important problem, mainly in Western developed countries, where its incidence has increased more than six-fold over the last four decades. It now accounts for 70–80% of esophageal cancers diagnosed in Australia, UK, and the United States. Barrett’s esophagus is the identifiable intermediate step in the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
Repair of a Near Full-Length Malignant Tracheal-Esophageal Fistula—A 17-Year Success Story
Wickii T. Vigneswaran in Thoracic Surgery, 2019
Radiation alone or in combination with chemotherapy is used for patients with locally advanced carcinoma of the esophagus. When the cancer invades the full thickness of the esophagus and tracheal-bronchial tree, the risk of developing a fistula is high. Chemotherapy alone has been reported to have a 6% rate of fistula and the risk following radiotherapy is reported as high as 73.9% [7]. Although the advances in radiation techniques have improved, still the risk remains high. Current guidelines recommend multimodality treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer [8]. The benefit of surgical resection in improving survival compared to definitive chemo radiation for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma has been questioned [9]. These tumors often affect the upper esophagus and, when locally advanced, are likely to involve the airway. Radiation-induced tumor necrosis depends on inherent radio sensitivity of the primary cancer, the radiation dose, and how it is delivered. If it is too radio-sensitive, then the risk for fertilization by necrosis will also be high. The concomitant use of chemotherapy with radiation therapy may further increase radio sensitivity and the tumor response and necrosis. It is speculated that patients who developed a tracheoesophageal fistula after radiation therapy would have done so in any case. However, it is probable that radiotherapy may hasten the development of a fistula by lysing the tumor. The risk is greatest in those patients with bulky tumors that indent or impinge the trachea.
Advances in chlorin-based photodynamic therapy with nanoparticle delivery system for cancer treatment
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 2021
Lin Huang, Sajid Asghar, Ting Zhu, Panting Ye, Ziyi Hu, Zhipeng Chen, Yanyu Xiao
Esophageal cancer is a common gastrointestinal tumor. About 300,000 people die from esophageal cancer every year. The morbidity and mortality rates vary greatly from country to country. The disease incidence in women is higher than men. PDT only destroys cancer cells in the inner layer, or mucosa of the esophagus that can be reached by the light. It can’t be used for esophageal cancer that has spread into deeper layers of the esophagus or to other parts of the body. In clinical settings, laser irradiation is given via an endoscope and cylindrical diffusers near the tumor. The first studies with PDT in the esophagus were done as palliative treatment for obstructive tumors [231]. PDT can be used to treat any Barrett’s esophagus or early esophageal cancer left behind after EMR. PDT may also be offered to people with advanced esophageal cancer. It can relieve pain or make swallowing easier (called palliative PDT) [232]. Porfimer sodium has been approved by FDA to alleviate patients with completely obstructing esophageal cancer, or of patients with partially obstructing esophageal cancer. The recommended PS dose is 2 mg/kg with laser light dose 300 J/cm.
Proteogenomic examination of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC): new lines of inquiry
Published in Expert Review of Proteomics, 2020
Shobha Dagamajalu, Manavalan Vijayakumar, Rohan Shetty, D. A. B. Rex, Chinmaya Narayana Kotimoole, T. S. Keshava Prasad
Esophageal cancer (EC) ranks seventh among the most common cancers and is estimated to be sixth among the most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide [1]. In 2018, approximately 572,000 new cases were estimated to be diagnosed, resulting in almost 509,000 deaths across the world [2]. As there are no obvious specific symptoms in the early stage of esophageal cancer, the cancer is usually detected in the advanced stage, when the patient experiences difficulty in swallowing food. The treatment strategy of esophageal cancer is developed considerably and depends on the state of the disease at the time of presentation. Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are two main types of esophageal cancer. ESCC arises from the squamous epithelium and adenocarcinoma arise from intestinal metaplastic epithelial cells or Barrett’s esophagus [3]. ESCC is the most prevalent esophageal cancer worldwide, occurs most often in the upper and middle portions of the esophagus.
Tripartite motif containing 59 (TRIM59) promotes esophageal cancer progression via promoting MST4 expression and ERK pathway
Published in Journal of Receptors and Signal Transduction, 2020
Guangming Liu, Jinying Song, Yong Zhao, Lianjie Zhang, Junjie Qin, Youbin Cui
Esophageal cancer is a common gastrointestinal tumor with high morbidity and mortality [4]. In view of the occult and nonspecific characteristics of the early symptoms of esophageal cancer, most of the patients diagnosed and treated clinically are middle and advanced stage patients [19]. Targeted therapy is an effective means to fight against esophageal cancer, but the efficacy of therapeutic targets for esophageal cancer remains to be improved, and more promising therapeutic targets remain to be developed [20]. Importantly, through qPCR and IHC assays, we found significantly increased expression of TRIM59 in tumor tissues of 40 patients with esophageal cancer, compared to the normal tissues. Through the clinical pathological feature analysis, we found the correlations between TRIM59 expression and clinical features including metastasis and maximum diameter of esophageal cancer patients. We therefore proposed that TRIM59 could serve as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of esophageal cancer.
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