What does an esophagus do?
- The esophagus is the narrow tube that carries food and liquid from the mouth into the stomach
- All fluids and nutrients that we eat and drink must pass through this long cylinder before reaching the stomach to begin the digestive process
- In an adult, the esophagus is around 11-13 inches long (28-33 cm) and has an internal diameter around 3/4 inch (2 cm)
- The esophagus is a muscular tube, and the wall of the esophagus has several layers:
Layers of the Esophagus
- The Inner layer or lining (mucosa): the lining of the esophagus is moist, so that food can pass to the stomach
- Submucosa: glands in this layer make mucus, keeping the esophagus moist
- Muscle layer: muscles push the food down to the stomach
- Outer layer: outer layer covers the esophagus
Different EC types can occur at particular sections or layers of the esophagus and from exposure to certain risk factors
Information from NCCN