What is the treatment for esophageal cancer?

Depends on stage: There are 4 stages of esophageal cancer (with a and b subtypes for some). For stage i and iia, the upfront therapy is surgery or esophagectomy. For stage iib or iii, treatment is chemoradiation followed by surgery, or definitive chemoradiation. For stage iv, the treatment is chemotherapy, + /- radiation.

Resection: Resectional therapy in early stages with or without adjuvant chemotherapy with w/o radiation. Chance to resect chance to cure. Staging determines chance for cure. Most cases poor outcomes due to delayed diagnosis stage iii and IV when discovered.

Don't smoke: Esophageal cancer can also be called barrett's disease. This may be graded i-iv. Early barrett's can be managed with acid-reduction meds and by avoiding nicotine, alcohol, and other direct irritants. It is possible that by avoiding everything that has contributed to your (early?) cancer, that it may be held at bay. Be sure to follow regularly with your GI doc!