Watch Out for the Early Warning Signs of Esophageal Cancer

When detected early, esophageal cancer can usually be treated successfully.

Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock

Esophageal cancer is relatively common and one of the most challenging cancers to treat. Its symptoms often become noticeable only after the disease has advanced. However, there are numerous early signs of esophageal cancer. Understanding and paying attention to these signs makes early detection and a complete cure possible.

The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach and is responsible for transporting food and liquids. Many patients with esophageal cancer remain unaware of their condition in its early stages. By the time that it is diagnosed, the cancer has often spread to other parts of the body, resulting in a higher mortality rate. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for esophageal cancer is only 22 percent. This is lower than the 28 percent survival rate for lung cancer, which is responsible for the most cancer deaths in the United States, and comparable to the survival rate for liver cancer, another challenging disease to treat.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, esophageal cancer typically grows at a rapid rate. Because the esophagus is flexible, it stretches around the growing tumor. As a result, noticeable symptoms often do not appear until the cancer has reached an advanced stage.

Story continues below advertisement

If detected early, health care providers can surgically remove smaller tumors. However, only about 25 percent of esophageal cancer patients are diagnosed before the cancer has spread.

According to the American Cancer Society, if esophageal cancer is diagnosed and treated before it has spread, the five-year survival rate can be as high as 49 percent. However, if the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues, organs, or nearby lymph nodes, the survival rate drops to 28 percent. When esophageal cancer has metastasized to distant organs or lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis, the survival rate falls to just 6 percent. This underscores the critical importance of early detection in improving survival rates.

Early Symptoms of Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer is challenging to detect in its early stages, making it crucial to be aware of the subtle symptoms.

Possible early symptoms of esophageal cancer include:

• Difficulty swallowing: Discomfort when swallowing food is a common symptom, especially with solid foods. It may feel like something is stuck in the throat or chest.
• Unexplained weight loss: Significant weight loss without an apparent cause is often linked to reduced appetite and difficulties swallowing.
• Chest pain or discomfort: Persistent chest pain or discomfort after eating can be a warning sign.
• Persistent cough and hoarseness: These symptoms may be caused by irritation of the esophagus or tumor growth.
• Indigestion: Frequent indigestion and burning sensations in the stomach that do not respond to standard treatments may indicate early-stage esophageal cancer.
• Vomiting: In severe cases, esophageal cancer can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and trigger vomiting.
• Gastroesophageal reflux: Symptoms such as heartburn and acid reflux often occur before vomiting.

2 Cases of Early Detection and Effective Treatment

Here are two actual clinical cases.

The first patient is John, a 55-year-old man. He initially experienced difficulty swallowing food but dismissed it as a minor issue and did not pay much attention. However, the symptom persisted and gradually worsened. Eventually, he consulted a doctor, who recommended an endoscopy. The procedure revealed an early-stage tumor in his esophagus. As the cancer was detected early, John received successful treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy, and has been cancer-free for the past three years. This case highlights the importance of early detection.

Story continues below advertisement

The second patient is Maria, a 60-year-old woman. Maria experienced a chronic burning sensation in her stomach and chest discomfort, which also included some pain, lasting for several months. Initially, she tried using antacids to alleviate the symptoms, but the pain worsened. She then consulted a doctor, who diagnosed her with esophageal cancer. Maria received a comprehensive treatment plan that included radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and high-dose vitamin C infusions. To date, Maria has been leading a very healthy life.

These cases illustrate how critical it is to recognize early symptoms and seek medical attention promptly. As with many cancers, esophageal cancer treatment is more effective when detected early; once it has spread, treatment becomes much more challenging.

Vitamin C as an Adjunct Therapy for Esophageal Cancer

In the second case mentioned above, high-dose intravenous vitamin C was used to support esophageal cancer treatment. According to information from the National Cancer Institute, some studies on intravenous vitamin C have shown that it can improve cancer patients’ quality of life and reduce cancer-related side effects, with few side effects reported in clinical trials. However, the use of intravenous vitamin C for cancer treatment has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

A 2020 study published in Nature Communications demonstrated that combining two anti-aging methods—fasting-mimicking diets and high-dose vitamin C—effectively treated tumors in mice highly resistant to traditional therapies.

Valter Longo, the study’s senior author, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, and professor of biological sciences, emphasized in a statement that this research is the first to demonstrate that entirely nontoxic interventions can serve as effective treatments for aggressive cancers.

Story continues below advertisement

“When used alone, fasting-mimicking diet or vitamin C alone reduced cancer cell growth and caused a minor increase in cancer cell death,” the statement reads. “But when used together, they had a dramatic effect, killing almost all cancerous cells.”

A 2021 review indicated that high-dose intravenous vitamin C, when used as an adjuvant with anti-cancer drugs, exhibits sensitizing, enhancing, or synergistic effects on the radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy of various cancers.

Healthy Habits for Preventing Esophageal Cancer

Like liver cancer, esophageal cancer has a significantly higher incidence in men than in women. In the United States, the lifetime risk of developing esophageal cancer is about one in 127 for men and one in 434 for women. This disparity is primarily because of major risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and unhealthy dietary habits, which are more prevalent among men than women.

Although not all cases of esophageal cancer are preventable—particularly those influenced by genetic factors—avoiding certain modifiable risk factors can significantly reduce the chances of developing the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Consider the following tips to lower the risk:

• Avoid smoking and alcohol: In the United States, smoking and alcohol consumption are major lifestyle risk factors for esophageal cancer. Each of these factors significantly increases the risk of developing the disease, and the risk is even higher when the two are combined.
• Follow a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables: Diets high in processed meats and fried foods are widely associated with increased cancer risk, whereas a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help lower the risk of esophageal cancer.
• Avoid drinking scalding coffee or tea (above 149 degrees Fahrenheit): Regularly drinking extremely hot beverages can cause long-term damage to the cells lining the esophagus, thereby increasing the risk of esophageal cancer.
• Engage in regular exercise and maintain a healthy weight: Obesity raises the risk of gastroesophageal reflux, which can increase the likelihood of esophageal cancer. Regular physical activity helps mitigate this risk.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.