Treatment for Oesophageal Cancer
Surgery is the most common treatment if your cancer hasn't spread. Surgeons remove all or part of your oesophagus. For very early cancer, the surgeon just removes cancer from the lining of your oesophagus.
This is surgery to remove abnormal cells or very early stage cancer from the lining of your oesophagus.
Surgery to remove your oesophagus is called an oesophagectomy. There are different ways of having an oesophagectomy.
Before your operation, you have tests to check your fitness and you meet members of your treatment team.
You have a general anaesthetic so you can't feel anything during the operation. This sends you into a deep sleep.
Surgery to remove oesophageal cancer is major surgery. You wake up in the intensive care unit or a high dependency recovery unit.
There is a risk of problems or complications after any operation. Many problems are minor but some can be more serious.
Last reviewed: 20 Sept 2023
Next review due: 21 Sept 2026
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