Symptoms of esophageal cancer include:
- difficulty swallowing (a condition called dysphagia), the most common symptom of esophageal cancer
- painful swallowing
- unexplained weight loss
- pressure or burning in the chest
- hoarseness, chronic coughing, hiccups
These symptoms may be caused by other conditions Changes in diet and lifestyle may help relieve your symptoms; however, you should still consult your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms for a prolonged period of time, especially if you suffer from difficult or painful swallowing. The earlier you are evaluated, the better the chance of detecting the disease at a curable stage.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
If you have persistent symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you should seek evaluation and help from a physician instead of treating yourself with over-the-counter remedies. Heartburn, or acid indigestion, is the most common symptom of GERD. Heartburn usually feels like a burning chest pain starting behind the breastbone and moving upward into the neck and throat. The pain is caused by acids and other irritants from the stomach returning back up into the esophagus. For heartburn, continuous use of an antacid medication without supervision of a doctor is not appropriate, given the association with Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Chronic reflux should be evaluated by an endoscopy of the upper esophagus.
