Esophageal carcinoma is a common malignant tumor in humans, accounting for more than 90% of esophageal tumors and ranking second only to gastric cancer in all retrospective surveys of malignant tumor deaths. It is estimated that about 200,000 people die from esophageal cancer worldwide every year, which is one of the most common malignant tumors that are extremely harmful to people’s life and health.
I. Symptoms and signs
Clinical symptoms vary according to the development of disease, pathological form, body reaction and other factors, which are discussed below according to early, middle and late stages.
1.Early esophageal cancer symptoms
The clinical symptoms are often not obvious, mostly due to local lesions stimulating abnormal peristalsis or spasm of esophagus, or due to local inflammation, erosion, superficial ulcer or tumor infiltration, which often appear repeatedly and can last for several years without symptoms in the interval. The main characteristic symptom is retrosternal discomfort or subpharyngeal pain. The pain is burning, pins and needles or pulling and rubbing, especially when eating rough, overheated or irritating food. Food passes slowly with a mild choking sensation, and most progress slowly. Other rare symptoms include stuffiness and swelling behind the sternum, dryness and tightness in the throat, etc. 3% to 8% of cases may not feel anything.
2.Symptoms of middle stage esophageal cancer
Typical symptom is progressive dysphagia. Due to the good elasticity and expansion ability of esophageal wall, the symptom of dysphagia is not significant when the cancer does not involve more than half of the whole circumference of esophagus. The degree of dysphagia is related to the pathological type, and the constricted type and medullary type are more severe than other types. About 10% of cases have symptoms or initial symptoms that are not dysphagia, accounting for 20% to 40% of cases, and causing delay in the diagnosis of esophageal cancer. Some patients have pain behind the sternum or between the scapula when swallowing food. According to the tumor site, it is suggested that there has been external invasion caused by perioesophagitis, mediastinitis or deep esophageal ulcer. The pain caused by lower thoracic segment tumor may occur in subxiphoid or epigastric region. If there is persistent thoracic and back pain, it is mostly caused by cancer invasion and/or compression of pleura and spinal nerve. Esophageal cancer itself and inflammation can reflexively cause increased secretion of esophageal glands and salivary glands, which can cause choking and pneumonia through retrograde peristalsis of esophagus.
3.Symptoms of late stage esophageal cancer
Most of them are caused by compression and complications, and lymphatic and hematogenous metastasis can occur. If there is ulcer, inflammation or tumor invasion in the esophageal lesion, it will produce continuous hidden pain behind the sternum or back. If the pain is severe and accompanied by fever, one should be alert to whether the tumor has perforated or is about to perforate. Lymph node metastasis of cancer is often behind the attachment of sternocleidomastoid muscle in the upper part of the clavicle, more on the left side than on the right side. If the laryngeal nerve is compressed, hoarseness will occur; if the cervical sympathetic nerve is compressed, Horner syndrome will occur. Laryngitis due to inhalation inflammation can also cause hoarseness, which can be identified by indirect laryngoscopy. Sometimes, due to high obstruction of the esophagus, retroperistalsis can cause inadvertent aspiration of esophageal contents into the airway, resulting in infection. Cancer tissue invades mediastinum, trachea, bronchus and aorta, forming mediastinitis, tracheoesophageal fistula, pneumonia, lung abscess and even fatal hemorrhage. Patients develop malnutrition, dehydration and other cachexia due to difficulty in swallowing. If there is metastasis of bone, liver, brain and other important organs, bone pain, jaundice, ascites, coma and other symptoms may appear.
What is good for body to eat for esophageal cancer?
1.Medicine and food are of the same origin, and some foods have both therapeutic and anti-cancer effects, so they can be applied in a targeted way. Foods beneficial to digestive tumors include leek, Ulva, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, lily, cuttle beans, etc. Foods in daily life such as garlic, soy products, green tea, etc. are also good anti-cancer medicines.
2.It is better to have a light diet, not to be partial, and to eat more foods rich in vitamins, trace elements and fiber, plus new vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, seafood, etc.
3.Esophageal cancer patients, when there is difficulty in swallowing, should change to liquid food, chew slowly, and eat more often with less time. Forced pressure will also stimulate cancer cell spreading, metastasis, bleeding, pain, etc.
4.Dietary adjustment of advanced esophageal cancer (esophageal cancer): When esophageal cancer patients have cachexia, they should supplement more protein, such as milk, eggs, goose meat, goose blood, lean pork, various fruits and so on.
5.Esophageal cancer (esophageal cancer) dietary adjustment: When esophageal cancer patients have complete obstruction, intravenous rehydration and gastrostomy should be used to maintain life by giving high nutritious food.
6.Esophageal cancer patients who rely on semi-liquid or liquid diet should pay special attention to avoid cold food and food that has been placed for too long when eating.
7.Early esophageal cancer patients’ dietary adjustment: In the diet, the maximum digestion and absorption capacity of gastrointestinal tract is mainly utilized to supplement as many nutrients as possible to make the body strong. Eat more fresh food and supplement protein, vitamin and fat.
8.Esophageal cancer patients’ post-surgery dietary adjustment: within seven days after surgery, liquid, zinc and calcium-rich food, such as milk, bone broth, chicken soup, etc. should be the mainstay; in the second week (7-14 days) after surgery, if eating is smooth, a full nutritious diet should be chosen, such as chicken soup, duck soup, meat soup, rice porridge with carrot juice, spinach juice, gingko porridge, etc. After two weeks, the patient can change to semi-liquid diet and soft rice, etc.
What are the best foods not to eat for esophageal cancer?
1.Refrain from eating many sugars.
Avoid eating tobacco, alcohol and coffee: tobacco contains nicotine and nitrosamines, which are toxic carcinogens; alcohol can stimulate the secretion of hormones, thus affecting the susceptibility to malignant tumors; caffeine can destroy the B vitamins in the body.
3, avoid eating smoked food.
4, avoid eating moldy food and sauerkraut.
5. Avoid bad diet.