The esophagus is a muscular tube that is responsible for moving food from the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer occurs when a malignant (cancerous) tumor forms in the esophagus lining. As it grows it can affect the deep tissues and muscle of the esophagus. A tumor can appear anywhere along the length of the esophagus, but in the United States they’re most common toward the bottom.

Esophageal cancer is a malignancy that develops in tissues of the hollow, muscular canal (esophagus) along which food and liquid travel from the throat to the stomach.

Esophageal cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the esophagus, the tube that carries food and drink from your throat to your stomach. The normal lining of the esophagus is called squamous epithelium, a cellular lining that is found in the mouth, throat, and the lung. The junction of the esophagus, as it enters the beginning of the stomach is lined by a different type of cellular structure that contains many glands or structures that secrete various chemicals. If a cancer of the esophagus arises from that portion that lines the tube before it enters the stomach, the cancer is called squamous cell carcinoma. If it arises from the glandular portions of the esophagus, it is called adenocarcinoma (cancers of glandular structures).

The diagnosis of cancer of the esophagus brings with it many questions and a need for clear, understandable answers. We hope this National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklet will help. It provides information about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer of the esophagus, and it describes some of the possible causes (risk factors) of this disease. Having this important information may make it easier for patients and their families to handle the challenges they face.

Confused about lung cancer? Or just looking for some quick facts? These links take you to essential information on lung cancer, its causes, and its risk factors.

Most lung cancers are caused by cigarette smoking. There are two main types of lung cancer – small cell carcinomas and non-small cell carcinomas. Treatment for lung cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Lung cancer and smoking often, but not always, go hand in hand. As lung cancer stages advance, lung cancer symptoms include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and bloody mucus. Treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), it is estimated that 224,210 new cases of lung cancer occurred in 2014. Lung cancer accounts for about 13 percent of all new cancers. Those most at risk are older adults over the age of 50, and people who have a history of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking. According to the American Lung Association, 82 percent of those living with lung cancer in 2012 were 60 years of age or older. While tobacco smoke is the leading cause, people who have never smoked can develop lung cancer. This can be due to past lung infections, environmental factors, and genetic makeup.

Lung cancer usually occurs because some outside factor, called a carcinogen, has triggered the growth of abnormal, cancerous cells in the lung. These cancerous cells multiply out of control and eventually form a mass called a tumor. As the tumor grows, it destroys nearby areas of the lung. Eventually, the tumor's abnormal cells can spread (metastasize) to nearby lymph nodes and to distant organs, such as the brain. In most cases, the carcinogens that trigger lung cancer are chemicals found in cigarette smoke.

Lung cancer is a disease in which the cells of lung tissues grow uncontrollably and form tumors. A tumor is a mass or lump of tissue made of abnormal cells.

The three primary forms of treatment for lung cancer are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. One or more of these therapies may be used to treat lung cancer, depending on the type and stage of the disease as well as your age and overall health. When you're considering treatment options, it's a good idea to seek a second opinion to get more information and help you feel more confident about your chosen treatment plan.

Unlike many other cancers, there are some steps you can take to prevent lung cancer. If you are a smoker, stop. Numerous smoking cessation courses and aids are available today. Talk to your doctor about options you can explore. If you are a nonsmoker, try to avoid second-hand smoke.

Mouth cancer usually starts in the cells lining the mouth. The most common sites are the lips, tongue and/or floor of the mouth. Smoking and drinking alcohol are known risk factors. Mouth cancer is easily cured if treated in its earlier stages.

Oral cancer is a cancer that develops in the tissues of the mouth or throat. Most oral cancers develop in the squamous cells found in your mouth, tongue, and lips. Oral cancers are most often discovered after they have spread to the lymph nodes of the neck.

Oral cancer is cancer anywhere in the mouth. Oral cancer can include any cancer on the lip, the tongue, the inside surface of the cheeks, the hard palate (the front part of the roof of the mouth), or the gums. Cancers that are far back in the mouth area, such as cancers on the soft palate (the back part of the roof of the mouth) or throat, are not considered oral cancer. Usually, oral cancer is a type of cancer named squamous cell carcinoma, in which surface cells grow and divide in an uncontrolled way.

Oral cavity describes a broad array of parts within the mouth including the lips, lining on the lips and cheeks referred to as buccal mucosa, teeth, tongue, floor of the mouth under the tongue, hard palate (which is the firm bony top of the mouth), and the gums. The oropharynx includes the back of the tongue, the soft palate, and the tonsils (fleshy part on either side of the mouth). There are glands through out the oral cavity that produce saliva that keep the mouth moist, known as salivary glands. The secretions from these glands called saliva aid in digesting the food.

The most important causes of mouth cancer are smoking, betel use, alcohol consumption, a diet lacking fresh fruit and vegetables, infectious microorganisms, immune deficiency, and ultraviolet radiation. The cancer may occur anywhere inside the mouth or on the lips. Lip cancer has a better prognosis than cancers deep within the mouth. The entire oral cavity should be closely examined. Any abnormalities found in people with risk factors should be subject to biopsy, X-ray, CT, or MRI scans. Patients must be advised to stop smoking and drinking. Surgery and radiation are the most common treatments, and surgery is a better choice in most cases.

Pancreatic cancer is classified according to which part of the pancreas is affected: the part that makes digestive substances (exocrine) or the part that makes insulin and other hormones (endocrine).

Pancreatic cancer occurs within the tissues of the pancreas, a vital organ that is located behind the stomach. The pancreas plays an essential role in digestion by producing enzymes that the body needs to digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. The pancreas also produces two important hormones that are responsible for controlling glucose (sugar) metabolism. Insulin is a hormone that helps cell metabolize glucose to make energy and glucagon, which helps raise glucose levels when they are too low.

Cancer of the pancreas is abnormal cell growth in the tissue of the pancreas. The pancreas is about 6 inches long, and is located next to the small intestine, behind the stomach. This organ serves two main functions in the body. It produces juices and enzymes to help with digesting and absorbing food. It also produces several hormones, such as insulin, that regulate the way your body stores and processes food.

There are two types of cancer of the pancreas. Endocrine pancreatic cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells originate within the tissues of the pancreas that produce hormones. Exocrine pancreatic cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells originate within the tissues of the pancreas that produce digestive juices.

Cigarette smoking plays a role in both the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer, based on an analysis of more than 18,000 patients with the disease.

Throat cancer can originate in the oesophagus (gullet), larynx (voice box), thyroid gland or cells lining the throat (pharynx). Risk factors for throat cancer include smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. Smokers who drink heavily are at even greater risk.

Cancer is a class of diseases in which abnormal cells multiply and divide uncontrollably in the body. These abnormal cells form malignant growths called tumors. Throat cancer refers to cancer of the voice box, the vocal cords, and other parts of the throat, such as the tonsils and the oropharynx.

Throat cancer occurs when cells in the organs used for breathing, speaking and swallowing begin to divide abnormally and out of control. Most throat cancer begins on the vocal cords, and later spreads to the rest of the voice box (larynx), to the back portion of the throat that includes part of the tongue and the tonsils (this area is collectively called the pharynx), or below the voice box to the subglottis and trachea. An early symptom of throat cancer is unexplained hoarseness in the voice.

Cancer of the throat (also called pharyngeal cancer) is a growth of abnormal cells in the throat. The throat is the passageway leading from the mouth and back of the nose to the esophagus (food pipe). This cancer can spread to other areas near the throat and to lymph nodes in the neck. Later it may also spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body and become life threatening.

A pharyngectomy is the total or partial surgical removal of the pharynx, the cavity at the back of the mouth that opens into the esophagus at its lower end. The pharynx is cone-shaped, has an average length of about 3 in (76 mm), and is lined with mucous membrane.

A pharyngectomy is the total or partial surgical removal of the pharynx, the cavity at the back of the mouth that opens into the esophagus at its lower end. The pharynx is cone-shaped, has an average length of about 3 in (76 mm), and is lined with mucous membrane.