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Types of Cancer > Esophageal Cancer > Screening, Diagnosis, and Staging
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| What Are The Stages of Esophageal Cancer? |
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What Staging Means |
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Staging refers to the process of gathering information to determine the extent to which cancer has spread. The stage of the disease may determine the range of treatment options available to a patient.
There are several ways of staging esophageal cancer. An endoscopy or a barium swallow may be performed when a person suffers from dysphagia. The results could give doctors an idea of the size of the tumor. A CT scan can then be undertaken to determine if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, to the lung, or even to the liver. A CT scan is done if the tumor is less than 5 centimeters in size.
The extent to which the cancer has affected esophageal tissue may also be revealed through detailed images produced by an endoscopic ultrasound.
Staging may be clinical or pathologic. When a cancer is staged based on diagnostic tests and biopsies, it known as a clinical stage. When the stage is determined based on the examination of tissue removed during surgery, it called a pathologic stage.
Treatment decisions are made based on the clinical stage. The pathologic stage, however, is more accurate in terms of predicting a patient’s prognosis.
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Reviewed by:
Jiade J. Lu, M.D.
Diplomate, American Board of Radiology (Radiation Oncology)
Medical Director
The Cancer Information Network
Date Modified: 06/10/04
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