Surgery
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.
Surgery to remove your oesophagus
Surgery to remove your oesophagus is called an oesophagectomy. There are different ways of having an oesophagectomy.
Endoscopic mucosal resection - removing the lining of the oesophagus
This is surgery to remove abnormal cells or cancer from the lining of your oesophagus. It's for very early, small cancers.
Before your operation
Before your operation, you have tests to check your fitness and you meet members of your treatment team.
On the day
You have a general anaesthetic so you can't feel anything during the operation. This sends you into a deep sleep.
After surgery
Surgery to remove oesophageal cancer is major surgery. You wake up in the intensive care unit or a high dependency recovery unit.
Problems after surgery
There is a risk of problems or complications after any operation. Many problems are minor but some can be more serious.
