Resources for coping with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If esophageal cancer spreads
Cancer cells can spread from the esophagus to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis.
Understanding how a type of cancer usually grows and spreads helps your healthcare team plan your treatment and future care.
If esophageal cancer spreads, it can spread to the following:
- lymph nodes around the esophagus
- lymph nodes in the neck or upper chest
- lymph nodes in the lower chest or around the stomach
- lymph nodes in the abdomen
- windpipe (trachea)
- vocal cords
- main artery leading from the heart (aorta)
- pericardium
- stomach
- liver
- adrenal glands
- lung
- bone
- brain
pericardium
The double-layered sac that surrounds the heart. It protects the heart and produces a fluid that acts like a lubricant so the heart can move normally in the chest.
adrenal gland
A small gland on top of each kidney that produces a variety of hormones involved in different body functions, including metabolism (the chemical processes needed for cell function, growth and reproduction), heart rate, blood pressure and controlling blood sugar levels.
