6 early symptoms of esophageal cancer

The early symptoms of esophageal cancer are generally manifested as changes in digestive function. The general early symptoms are:

1. Loss of appetite, indigestion, no appetite, and less food intake than before.

2. Abdominal distension and discomfort. Early stage tumors will not cause obvious abdominal pain, but often cause abdominal distension and discomfort.

3. Frequent diarrhea or constipation, changes in stool color, sometimes the stool becomes black or tarry, and sometimes contains blood.

4. Eating feels uncomfortable, with a feeling of obstruction and foreign body, especially after eating hard food.

5. Obvious weight loss without any clear cause. Changes in digestive function will cause a decrease in food intake, resulting in significant weight loss in a very short period of time.

6. Feeling weak, tired, and short of breath, especially in the elderly. These are symptoms of anemia caused by poor nutrient absorption and chronic blood loss in the digestive tract.

Patients with esophageal cancer should pay attention to their diet, avoid spicy food, and do not use spicy seasonings when cooking. In particular, do not drink alcohol and do not eat hot or scalding food. Once you experience choking sensation, swallowing pain, discomfort behind the sternum, foreign body sensation in the esophagus, upper abdominal pain, or tightness in the throat, you should pay attention and go to the hospital for examination and treatment as soon as possible. For those who are usually asymptomatic but over 40 years old, it is recommended to have a gastroscopy once a year if conditions permit.