Written By: Muskan Gupta | Updated : August 15, 2025 11:06 AM IST
Esophageal cancer is a severe health condition that occurs in the throat-esophagus-stomach channel, commonly termed as the esophagus. The disease is common, and it starts in the inner bank of the esophagus and may disperse to other surrounding tissue and inside the body. Although more prevalent in men as compared to women, the risk is remarkably high after age. Early detection of the disease would help a great deal in successful treatment. Regrettably, symptoms tend to be unnoticeable and unindicative at the earlier stages.
People with risk factors should get a regular health check-up because in some first stages, esophageal cancer can go unnoticed even by its owners. However, the warning signs are:
This happens to be among the initial symptoms. Some of the signs you might notice include difficulty swallowing solid food, which leads to difficulty swallowing softer foods and liquids as the tumour enlarges.
Continuous GERD may cause irritation in the oesophagus lining, and heartburn is an indication of a possible complication.
Losing weight is everyone's dream, but never in an unhealthy manner, isn't it? Therefore, when you tend to lose weight without any explanation, understand that this is a sign of something serious going on inside your body. As per experts, unexplained weight loss is associated with certain types of cancer including esophageal cancer.
Not just a heart attack or a cardiac arrest; even cancers can trigger unusual chest discomfort and pain. Yes, you read that right! An unexplained pain or pressure in the chest can also indicate oesophageal cancer onset.
In the case of a tumour of the vocal cords and surrounding nerves, one can develop voice changes and even persistent coughing.
Food can be regurgitated to the mouth because of the clog in the esophagus.
While cancer onset can depend on several external and internal factors, in this section, we will discuss the top causes of oesophageal cancer. As studies show DNA of the esophagus cells changes (mutates) and grows out of control, leading to the establishment of esophageal cancer. With time, such abnormal cells may develop into a tumour. These changes can be induced by a number of factors:
