The oesophagus is the medical name for the gullet. It is part of the digestive system. The oesophagus is a long tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach. The top part of the oesophagus lies behind the windpipe (trachea). The bottom part runs down through the chest between the spine and the heart.
The body is made up of millions of different types of cells. Cancer happens when some of the cells multiply in an abnormal way, causing a growth called a tumour to form. Tumours can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). They can occur in any part of the body where the cells multiply abnormally.
Cancer of the oesophagus is relatively rare in the UK, although it has become more common in the last 30 years. Currently, it accounts for approximately 3% of all cancer cases. Approximately 7,560 people are diagnosed with the condition each year. Men and people over the age of 55 are most commonly affected.
There are two main types of cancer of the oesophagus.
- Squamous cell carcinoma forms in the upper part of the oesophagus when cells on the inside lining of the oesophagus multiply abnormally.
- Adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus forms in the lower part of the oesophagus when cells inside the mucous glands that line the oesophagus multiply abnormally. (Mucous glands produce a slimy substance to help food slide down the oesophagus more easily).
