How is oesophageal cancer treated?
A. Surgery is the main form of treatment for oesophageal cancer. For early cancers that have not spread, the surgeon removes the section of the oesophagus with the cancer. Usually the remaining part of the oesophagus is reconnected to the stomach. However, if the cancer has spread, part of the stomach may have to be removed as well, so the shortened oesophagus is connected to a smaller stomach. Sometimes, patients will be given drug treatment (chemotherapy) to shrink the tumour before the operation. In other cases, where the cancer is so advanced that it cannot be cured, chemotherapy or radiation treatment may be used to reduce the symptoms.
