ESOPHAGEAL CANCER AND THE IMPORTANCEOFTHEMULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH: AN IMAGE OF THE SITUATION IN BRAZIL IN THE LAST 11 YEARS

Introduction: Esophageal cancer is one of the most frequent and lethal malignant neoplasms in the world, being the third cause of death by digestive cancer. The histological type of the disease is related to its etiology, being squamous cell carcinoma responsible for 96% of the cases and related to smoking and alcoholism, and adenocarcinoma associated with the Barrett’s esophagus. In Brazil, the disease most frequently affects elderly and males and shows a considerable morbidity and mortality rate. Objective: Describe the cases of esophageal cancer in Brazil and its relation with the multidisciplinary approach. Methods: This is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach. The data were extracted from DATASUS, using the descriptor “malignant esophageal neoplasm”, from 2008 to 2018, the cases registered in Brazil. The results were discussed based on the reading of the articles from the Lilacs and Scielo databases. Results: 177,796 cases of hospitalization for esophageal cancer were reported. From the total, 77% were male and 42% declared themselves to be white. In terms of region, the Southeast registred 51% of the cases. Regarding the age, the “50-59 years” had the highest rates (30%). About the hospitalized patients, 16% died, 78% were men and 40% were white, predominating in the age group “60 to 69 years” (30%) and in the Southeast (52%). Conclusion: It is observed that esophageal cancer shows higher rates at more advanced ages and in men, result of factors, mainly, behavioral. In addition, the incidence varies with ethnicity and region, due to socioeconomic agents and access to diagnosis. Thus, the assistance of a multidisciplinary team is essential to the success of treatment, which depends on prevention, effective nutritional support, psycho-emotional support, social assistance and shelter. Therefore, the professional integrality allows the rehabilitation of the individual, giving support to their social reinsertion.