Esophageal Cancer Program

Our approach to care

The Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute offers patients and families access to one of New England's most experienced programs for esophageal cancer treatment. We offer a collaborative, caring approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with confirmed or suspected esophageal cancer.

Consistently ranked as one of the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report, we provide the latest, most effective treatments including many innovative approaches to clinical care and promising new therapies.

Accurate diagnosis and staging (how early or advanced cancer is) are key to effective treatment. Our renowned pathologists and radiologists subspecialize in thoracic cancers and use advanced diagnostic tools, including:

• 4D CT scans
• Endoscopic esophageal biopsies
• Endoscopic tumor resections (EMR and ESD)
• Esophageal ultrasounds
• Minimally invasive laparoscopic evaluations
• Molecular tests for new and standard biomarkers
• MRIs
• Nuclear medicine tests, such as PET scans

Treatment plans may include:

• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapies
• Immune therapies
• Clinical trials
• Other advanced drug treatments based on tumor biology

These therapies are designed to kill cancer growth and may help reduce side effects compared with standard treatments in some cases.

Our radiation oncologists use leading-edge techniques to effectively deliver radiation to tumors, while limiting exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. They offer:

• External beam radiation therapy: Radiation delivered from outside the body
• Respiratory gating: Technology that monitors tumor movement during breathing to improve precision

Gastroenterologists at Mass General Brigham help identify risk factors such as Barrett’s esophagus, a condition caused by long-term acid reflux that can increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

We monitor patients for Barrett’s esophagus through regular endoscopic screening and surveillance. These exams help detect precancerous changes early, when treatment can be most effective and may help prevent cancer from developing.