Overview The risk for esophageal cancer increases with age; the risk is also greater for men than women. Smoking and heavy drinking also raise the risk for this type of cancer. Understanding Your Diagnosis Your doctor will take a small tissue sample from your esophagus to confirm your cancer diagnosis, but he or she may order other tests as well. Deciding on Treatment Treatment for esophageal cancer depends on the stage of your disease. You may need surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or photodynamic therapy, which uses a special drug and laser to kill cancer cells. A newer alternative treatment to surgery is electrocoagulation, which kills cancer cells with electricity.