Esophageal cancer: What are symptoms?

Many patients with esophageal cancer experience a strange sensation resembling food stuck in the throat.

This symptom can indicate dangerous disease, according to experts at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Other possible symptoms of the disease include:

• Difficulty swallowing;
• A general feeling of unwellness;
• Chest pain;
• Unintentional weight loss;
• Vomiting blood;
• Persistent cough (coughing);
• A hoarse voice;
• Acid reflux.

According to experts, risk factors for developing esophageal cancer include:

• Smoking;
• Alcohol abuse;
• Chronic heartburn or acid reflux;
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD);
• Achalasia (a rare disease of the muscles of the lower esophagus).