The oesophagus, also known as the gullet, is the long tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach.

When a person has cancer of the oesophagus, a growth can be located anywhere along the tube and is usually diagnosed as being upper (behind the windpipe), middle (near the chest) or lower (near the stomach). Cancer in the upper part of the oesophagus is called squamous carcinoma, whereas a tumour lower down is usually referred to as an adenocarcinoma.

Cancer of the oesophagus is a rare disease, particularly in the UK, and accounts for only 1 in 50 of new cancer cases. Possible causes include drinking too much alcohol and poor diet, although smoking is thought to be a main cause.

Iron deficiency used to be a common cause of cancer of the oesophagus, but changes in diet and advances in healthcare mean that this is now very rare.

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be used to destroy the growth. However in most cases the best option for complete recovery to remove the growth by surgery. 

Cancer of the oesophagus is often quite advanced by the time it is diagnosed. This makes treatment more difficult.

When the oesophagus has become narrowed by a growth, it may be possible to have surgery to make swallowing easier. A plastic tube called a stent may be put into the oesophagus which will make it easier to breathe and swallow. This is usually done under a general anaesthetic.