Four types of early esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the esophageal mucosal epithelium. The cure rate can reach 80% in the early stage. Since the early symptoms of esophageal cancer are not obvious, it should be taken seriously and treated in time. Early esophageal cancer is divided into the following 4 types.

1. Latent type: The esophageal mucosa is slightly congested, the mucosa at the lesion is red, and the cancerous mucosa fixed with formalin is slightly rough, which is difficult to identify with the naked eye and can only be confirmed by exfoliative cytology and tissue sections. This type is carcinoma in situ limited to the mucosal layer and is the earliest stage of esophageal cancer.

2. Erosive type: There are very shallow erosions on the mucosal surface, which are map-like, of varying sizes, with clear boundaries, and the edge of the lesion may be slightly raised. The esophageal mucosa at the cancerous site on the cut surface is superficially defective and slightly sunken. The cancer tissue is poorly differentiated, with carcinoma in situ and early invasive cancer accounting for half each. This type develops later than the first type.

3. Plaque type: The mucosa at the cancerous site is slightly raised, uneven, and the wrinkles disappear, presenting a psoriasis-like appearance. The size of the lesions varies, sometimes invading the entire circumference of the esophagus, with a clear boundary from the normal mucosa. Microscopic examination shows that the cancer epithelium is significantly thickened, and the cancer tissue is not uniformly differentiated. It develops later than the first two types, with about 1/2 of the cases being carcinoma in situ and 2/3 being early invasive cancer.

4. Papillary type: The tumor forms an obvious hard nodule, some are like nipples, and some are polyp-like with short pedicles. Its surface is occasionally covered with erosion or inflammatory exudate, protruding into the cavity, and the cancer is well differentiated. The vast majority are early invasive cancers, and this type is the latest type of early cancer.