What are the early symptoms of esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer refers to a malignant tumor originating from the esophageal epithelium. The early symptoms are not typical, often mild and easy to ignore, mainly including foreign body sensation when swallowing, pain behind the sternum, slight pain under the xiphoid process, acid reflux, heartburn, dryness and tightness in the throat, etc.

1. Swallowing foreign body sensation: When swallowing food, especially dry and hard food, the patient may feel a foreign body sensation when the food passes through a certain part of the esophagus. This sensation may be fixed in one part and occur intermittently.

2. Pain behind the sternum: After swallowing food or changing body position, the patient may feel pain behind the sternum. This pain is usually not persistent, but may be aggravated by fatigue and fast eating.

3. Mild pain under the xiphoid process: Some patients may feel mild pain in the pit of the stomach or under the xiphoid process. This pain may be more obvious when eating dry food.

4. Acid reflux and heartburn: Some patients with esophageal cancer may develop from chronic esophagitis and may have symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn in the early stages.

5. Dryness and tightness in the throat: Patients may feel dryness and tightness in the throat, which may be related to difficulty swallowing food and is accompanied by slight pain.

Note: These symptoms do not necessarily point to esophageal cancer, but may also be related to other diseases. When these symptoms occur, you should seek medical attention for further examination to confirm the diagnosis. You should exercise more on a daily basis to enhance your physical fitness and disease resistance. Go to the hospital for regular physical examinations to understand your health status.