Experts have urged people to be aware of the symptoms of a deadly cancer that kills over 8,000 people every year.
More than half of all the people diagnosed with oesophageal cancers, which cause your food pipe to become narrow or blocked, die within a year of receiving the news.
According to Cancer Research, it's the 14th most common type of the illness in the UK. Even if it's caught early in stage one, it can be difficult to treat, but there are a couple of key symptoms that people should keep an eye out for.
Liverpool Echo reports that you're more at risk of developing the cancer if you're overweight or obese, if you smoke, or if you drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week. It's more commonly diagnosed in people aged 75 or over, with men more likely to develop it.
Julie Thompson, information manager at Guts UK Charity, said: "Sadly, over 20% of oesophageal cancer cases are diagnosed at emergency settings, such as A&E. This can often mean that the cancer is more advanced, and harder to treat.
"We know that one reason people may be diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the later stages is because the symptoms can be seen as vague. In fact, a recent UK-wide survey carried out by the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce found that just 2% of people (respondents) could correctly identify all of the symptoms of oesophageal cancer.
"In addition, oesophageal cancer may cause no symptoms until it begins to obstruct passage of food or fluids down the oesophagus, or make swallowing painful. "
Symptoms of oesophageal cancer
According to the NHS, there are many symptoms of the cancer but they can be hard to identify.
A lot of the time, symptoms don't show up at all until the narrowing of your food pipe, which is called dysphagia, starts to cause problems with your swallowing.
Guts UK Charity said: "Going to the doctor early when symptoms begin is important, to increase the chances of early diagnosis and effective treatment."
The main signs are:
- problems swallowing (dysphagia) - you might feel pain or burning when you swallow, or food might stick in your throat or chest
- feeling or being sick
- persistent heartburn or acid reflux
- symptoms of indigestion, such as burping a lot
Other symptoms include:
- a persistent cough
- a hoarse voice
- vomiting
- shortness of breath
- stomach, chest or back pain
pain in your throat or behind your breastbone, especially when swallowing
- loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to - this could be due to difficulty swallowing or pain when you eat, or it could in rare cases be a sign of advanced disease
- feeling tired or having no energy
Cancer Research UK said: "You should see your doctor if you have difficulty swallowing, or you have symptoms that are unusual for you or that won't go away. Your symptoms are unlikely to be cancer but it is important to get them checked by a doctor."
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