Oesophageal cancer is a cancer that's found anywhere in the oesophagus, sometimes called the gullet or food pipe. The oesophagus connects your mouth to your stomach. How serious oesophageal cancer is depends on where it is in the oesophagus, how big it is, if it has spread and your general health.

Main symptoms of oesophageal cancer

There are many possible symptoms of oesophageal cancer, but they might be hard to spot.

They can affect your digestion, such as:

• having problems swallowing (dysphagia)
• feeling or being sick
• heartburn or acid reflux
• symptoms of indigestion, such as burping a lot

Other symptoms include:

• a cough that is not getting better
• a hoarse voice
• loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
• feeling tired or having no energy
• pain in your throat or the middle of your chest, especially when swallowing
• black poo or coughing up blood (although these are uncommon)

If you have another condition, such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, you may get symptoms like these regularly. You might find you get used to them. But it's important to be checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or do not feel normal for you.

See a GP if:

• you have problems swallowing
• you've lost a noticeable amount of weight
• you have heartburn most days that lasts for 3 weeks or more
• you have symptoms of oesophageal cancer that get worse
• you have a condition that causes digestion symptoms and they're not getting better with your usual treatments

What happens at the GP appointment

The GP may feel your neck and tummy. They might arrange for you to have a blood test. You may get an urgent referral for more tests or to see a specialist in hospital if the GP thinks you have symptoms that could be cancer. This does not definitely mean you have cancer.