Printer-Friendly Version

Forward to a Colleague

Permission for Use

Esophageal Cancer

What Tests Should Be Ordered?

1. Chest x-ray.
2. Barium esophagram can show mucosal irregularities, displacement, narrowing, and strictures. (If cancer is diagnosed, a CT scan will be useful for staging because it will show node involvement and invasion of adjacent structures.)
3. Endoscopy and biopsy. Bronchoscopy will be indicated to rule out involvement of the left main stem bronchus if a tumor is found in the middle third of the esophagus. CT scan of the liver and bone may be recommended depending on metastasis.

Staging a cancer is important for determining appropriate treatment and prognosis. If the disease is limited to the area of origin (primary site) it is considered an earlier stage disease than one that has spread to lymph nodes and adjacent viscera.

Blood tests are not useful for identifying the disease because there are no known "tumor markers" for esophageal cancer. Tumor markers are chemicals characteristic of specific tissues; when they are elevated, disease is suspected and further tests are indicated. For example, the PSA (prostate specific antigen) is specific for prostate cancer, and although not diagnostic of prostate cancer, is a useful indicator of prostate health.

What preparation does Arden need for barium esophagram and endoscopy studies?