Is esophageal cancer the same as throat cancer?

Yes: They are distinctly separate disorders.

Usually not: Throat cancer is generally used to describe laryngeal cancer. The larynx is also called the voice box and serves as the opening from the back of the mouth into the airway. Esophageal cancer is cancer of the tube carrying food from the mouth to the stomach. They can be the same type of cancer(often squamous cell) but they are not the same thing.

No,: Throat cancers generally arise in the larynx or voice box but can also involve other areas of the "throat" such as the tonsils or pyriform sinus. Esophageal cancer involves the esophagus or swallowing tube. High esophageal cancers are uncommon, but can occur in the neck. The most common presentation today for esophageal cancer is in the junction with the stomach.