Help for a Killer Cancer

A new procedure may facilitate early detection of esophageal cancer.

Former Texas governor Ann Richards died in September, soon after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer. It's a common story for a disease that's often discovered too late.

Few people, however, know about transnasal esophagoscopy (TNE). This test is less risky than screening procedures that require sedation, says Jonathan Aviv, MD, an otolaryngologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and a TNE expert. In the test, doctors numb the nose, then insert an endoscope and tiny camera through the nostrils to take pictures of the esophagus.

As with some other cancers, the American Cancer Society doesn't encourage routine screening for symptom-free people, since there's not enough evidence to prove it leads to a higher cure rate. Esophageal cancer is rare, but see your doctor if you have a persistent cough or hoarseness, possible early signs of the disease.

From Reader's Digest - January 2007

 

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