Oesophageal cancer (OC) is the eighth most common cancer and sixth most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Oesophageal cancer is more common in people aged over 60. It affects more men than women. More than 500 people are diagnosed with it in Ireland every year.
The oesophagus is the neuromuscular tube that connects the pharynx with the stomach and lies in the posterior mediastinum within the thorax near the lung pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, and diaphragm. The upper and lower oesophagus are controlled by the sphincter function of the cricopharyngeus muscle and gastro-oesophageal sphincter, respectively. The functions of the oesophagus and its sphincters are to transport swallowed materials from the pharynx to the stomach, and to defend the airways and itself from the reflux of gastric contents.
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