What Is Cancer of the Esophagus?
The esophagus is a muscular tube that carries food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach. The esophagus is usually between 10 and 13 inches long. The normal adult esophagus is roughly three fourths of an inch across at its smallest point. The wall of the esophagus has several layers. Cancer of the esophagus — also referred to as esophageal cancer — starts from its inner layer and grows outward. The layer that lines the inside of the esophagus is called the mucosa. The mucosa has 2 parts: the epithelium and the lamina propria. The epithelium forms the lining of the esophagus and is made up of flat, thin cells called squamous cells. The lamina propria is a thin layer of connective tissue right under the epithelium. The next layer is the submucosa. Some parts of the esophagus have mucus-secreting glands in this layer. The layer under the submucosa is a thick band of muscle called the muscularis propria. This layer of muscle contracts in a coordinated, rhythmic way to force food along
