10 Esophageal Cancer Symptoms
1. Difficulty Swallowing
Difficulty swallowing, also known as dysphagia, is the most common symptom of esophageal cancer. In fact, it is one of the first symptoms to appear in this condition1Muhammad Masab, M. (2020, October 15). Esophageal Cancer. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/277930-overview. Unfortunately, it is a sign of locally advanced disease. Thus, any adult complaining of dysphagia will likely require an upper endoscopy and/or a barium swallow study to exclude the presence of esophageal cancer.
Patients who have esophageal cancer initially experience dysphagia to solid foods due to mechanical obstruction. As the disease advances, the dysphagia progresses to liquids. Moreover, dysphagia can be a distressing symptom for many people with this condition, often leading to weight loss, malnutrition, and respiratory complications.
