The esophagus is about 10 inches long. Cancer affects cells, the body's basic unit of life. Normally cells grow, divide, and produce more cells when needed. Sometimes, however, cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed. The mass of extra cells forms a growth or tumor.
Tumors can be benign or malignant.
They usually can be removed and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body. Most important, benign tumors are rarely a threat to life. Cells in malignant tumors are abnormal and divide without control or order. These cancer cells can invade and destroy the tissue around them.