APEX

I want to allow users to upload MS-Word and PDF documents they have created / edited outside of the APEX app for storage in the database along with the other app data.

I know that I should use a file browse item in a region for this purpose.
I have a some questions:
1. What database datatype is best for storing MS-Word and PDF docs? CLOB?
2. How can the user see that the file has been uploaded? In other words, how can they see that the filename has been uploaded? I want to show this on the page for later viewing. I have uploaded a document, but later, I have no way to see that the document has in fact been uploaded. From the APEX page, the file browse item does not indicate whether or not a file has previously been uploaded.
3. How can the user download the previously uploaded document?
4. Is there a way to give users the capability to edit a document in an APEX app where they can do MS-Word-like editing (font size, font type, bold, italics, etc.)?

I know I've asked a lot here and I appreciate your input.
-Reid