What are the early signs of esophageal cancer? What are the ways to prevent esophageal cancer?

Esophageal cancer is one of the common malignant tumors. About 300,000 people die from esophageal cancer every year in the world. my country is the country with the highest incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer, with about 150,000 deaths from esophageal cancer each year, accounting for nearly 1/4 of all deaths from malignant tumors. So what are the early symptoms of esophageal cancer? How can we prevent it?

What are the early signs of esophageal cancer?

1. Swallowing obstruction

In the early stage of esophageal cancer, the lesions often manifest as small-scale swelling, erosion, congestion, superficial ulcers and small plaque lesions of the local esophageal mucosa. When anything passes through these locations, it is easy to feel uncomfortable or difficult to swallow. If the disease progresses, there will be a feeling of choking.

2. Slow passage through the esophagus

The esophageal opening often becomes smaller, making it difficult to swallow food and feeling that it is stuck. These symptoms only occur when swallowing food and disappear after eating. They have nothing to do with the nature of the food, and the same feeling can even occur when drinking water.

3. Dryness in the throat after eating

I often feel difficulty swallowing food. I also feel slight pain, dryness, and tightness, especially when swallowing dry or rough food. The dryness and tightness are particularly obvious.

4. Feeling of stuffiness and discomfort behind the sternum

If it is early stage esophageal cancer, there is often a vague feeling of chest discomfort. However, the specific location of this feeling cannot be determined, and you can only feel something behind the sternum. There may also be slight pain, burning, pricking, pulling, etc.

Ways to prevent esophageal cancer

1. Pay attention to the hygiene of drinking water

Drinking water is one of the main sources of carcinogenic nitrosamines and their precursors entering the human body; the quality of tap water that has been filtered and disinfected is better.

2. Change bad eating and living habits

Bad eating and living habits are related to the incidence of esophageal cancer, such as smoking, drinking, eating pickled vegetables, small fish with thorns, moldy food, eating too fast, etc.; irregular meals are positively correlated with esophageal cancer, and eating vegetables, fruits, bean products, etc. are negatively correlated with esophageal cancer.

3. Pay attention to balanced nutrition

Dietary conditioning is also an effective way to prevent esophageal cancer. It is recommended to eat more vegetables, fruits and oily plants, and take in a balanced amount of vitamins A, B2, C, E, carotene, selenium, etc. from food.