Oesophageal cancer

Oesophageal cancer is a type of cancer affecting the oesophagus (gullet) – the long tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach.

It mainly affects people in their 60s and 70s and is more common in men than women.

Symptoms

Oesophageal cancer doesn’t usually cause any symptoms in the early stages when the tumour is small. It’s only when it gets bigger that symptoms tend to develop.

Symptoms of oesophageal cancer can include:

difficulty swallowing persistent indigestion or heartburn bringing up food soon after eating loss of appetite and weight loss pain or discomfort in your upper tummy, chest or back

Read more about the symptoms of oesophageal cancer


Oesophageal cancer doesn’t usually have any symptoms at first. But as the cancer grows, it can cause swallowing problems and other symptoms.


Other symptoms of oesophageal cancer can include:

persistent indigestion or heartburn bringing up food soon after eating loss of appetite and weight loss persistent vomiting pain or discomfort in your upper tummy, chest or back a persistent cough hoarseness tiredness, shortness of breath and pale skin vomiting blood or coughing up blood – although this is uncommon