Esophageal Cancer Screening

People at risk for esophageal cancer (especially those with Barrett's esophagus or tylosis) should be screened regularly. A screening every two to three years is often recommended for people without cell abnormalities. People with cell abnormalities should be screened more frequently.

• Endoscopy
  A fiber-optic endoscope is passed down the throat to send images to a monitor. The images are examined to determine if there are any suspicious areas. The endoscope can also take small tissue samples for microscopic analysis.

• Biopsy
  Suspicious tissues from the esophagus are retrieved and examined microscopically to determine if cells are cancerous. The tissue sample is usually taken during an endoscopic examination of the esophagus.

• Barium-Swallow X-Rays
  A series of X-rays of the esophagus taken after the patient has swallowed barium, a liquid which coats the lining of the esophagus so it shows up clearly in the X-ray images.