The esophagus is the narrow tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. If your doctor recommends esophageal surgery to treat your cancer, the doctor may remove all or part of your esophagus. The size and location of the tumor determines how much of the esophagus the doctor will take out. If the esophageal cancer is close to the stomach, the doctor may remove some of the upper stomach during the surgery.

In some cases, the doctor will use a section of your small intestine to replace your esophagus and create a new connection between your mouth and stomach. This is called an intestinal auto-transplant. In this operation, the doctor may perform a type of minimally invasive surgery called vascular microsurgery to ensure a healthy blood supply to the transplanted intestine.