Symptoms of esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer may not cause any signs or symptoms in its early stages. Signs and symptoms often appear as the cancer thickens the wall of the esophagus. Esophageal tumours can also cause symptoms if they grow large enough to block the esophagus or the opening to the stomach, or if they grow into surrounding tissues and organs. Other health conditions can cause the same symptoms as esophageal cancer.
The most common symptom of esophageal cancer is having problems swallowing (dysphagia). Other signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer include:
- weight loss
- painful swallowing
- pain in the throat, chest (behind the breast bone) or back
- fatigue
- loss of appetite
- bringing up undigested food
- hoarseness
- cough
- nausea or vomiting
- hiccups
malaise