Oesophagus cancer. Gross specimen of a malignant tumour (cancer, growths at upper and lower centre) on the wall of an oesophagus. The oesophagus (or gullet) is the muscular tube that passes food from the mouth to the stomach. Oesophagal cancer mostly arises in the mucosal layer that lubricates food passing to the stomach. Normal treatment is the surgical removal of the cancerous section. It is thought that oesophagal cancer can be caused by carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substances in food, as well as chronic alcohol consumption.