Clinical features

Symptoms of Oesophageal cancer include:

• difficulty swallowing – ‘dysphagia’
• regurgitation of food or vomiting of food
• acid indigestion
• pain in the back or chest or on swallowing – ‘odynophagia’
• hoarseness or coughing
• Weight loss

In advanced cancer progressive difficulty swallowing is a common feature. This starts with solid food such as meat ‘sticking’ and progresses to softer foods such as scrambled egg. In severe cases it may be impossible to swallow either liquids or saliva – this is very distressing and disabling.

Click the link for details of:

• Investigations

Amended November 2008