Newly Diagnosed?
We Can Help Getting the correct diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment from the start is crucial 
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To diagnose esophageal cancer, a physical exam is first performed, followed by blood tests, including a complete blood count and tests to evaluate liver function.
If esophageal cancer is suspected, your doctor may perform a series of upper gastrointestinal x-rays and may also refer you to a gastroenterologist for endoscopy.
In endoscopy, the doctor examines the interior lining of the esophagus using a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope. The endoscope is inserted through the mouth and guided into the esophagus, and the camera at the end of the tube enables the doctor to see inside the esophagus. If the tumor is blocking the opening of the esophagus, the doctor can use the endoscope to make the opening bigger by stretching or dilating the esophagus with a small inflatable balloon. Small samples of tissue may be removed during endoscopy to be examined for cancer cells. Patients receive an anesthetic that will relax and sedate them to ensure comfort during the examination. The anesthetic is very safe, works rapidly, and wears off quickly, so that patients awaken soon after the procedure is completed.
Once esophageal cancer has been diagnosed, the next step is to determine if and how far the cancer may have spread into the esophagus, nearby lymph nodes, and organs. This process is called staging, and it is an important factor in deciding which treatment would be most beneficial to the patient.
Computed tomography (CT) scan is often used for staging esophageal cancer. A combination of CT and positron emission tomography (PET) scanning may also be used to detect and stage esophageal cancer. Endoscopic ultrasound is another test that may be used during diagnosis and also staging. Similar to endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound involves the insertion of a thin tube into the mouth and down into the esophagus. At the tip of the tube is a small ultrasound probe that bounces sound waves off the walls of the esophagus, to evaluate how deeply the tumor penetrates into the wall of the esophagus, and to evaluate for the presence of local lymph nodes involved with the cancer.
Those esophageal cancers that develop higher up in the chest, in particular squamous cell cancer, lie near the trachea and mainstem bronchi of the lungs. A bronchoscopy -- in which a tube or scope is inserted into the trachea and bronchi of the lung -- may be required to evaluate for potential involvement or spread by the esophageal tumor.
