Are the symptoms of esophagitis the same as those of esophageal cancer?

Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
Updated on April 10, 2025
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The clinical manifestations of esophagitis and esophageal cancer are different. The main symptoms of esophagitis include upper abdominal pain, chest pain, belching, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, and heartburn. In contrast, the primary symptom of esophageal cancer is choking and difficulty swallowing after eating. Therefore, these two diseases can be distinguished based on symptoms, and a definitive diagnosis can be made through gastroscopy. If gastroscopy reveals gastric mucosa with congestion, edema, erosion, or ulcers, it can be diagnosed as reflux esophagitis. If a tumor is found in the esophageal mucosa, and a biopsy is taken for pathological examination, it can confirm whether it is esophageal cancer. After a definitive diagnosis, treatment can be tailored according to the specific disease.

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Written by Zhai Guo Dong
Gastroenterology
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The difference between esophagitis and esophageal cancer.

Esophagitis and esophageal cancer have essential differences. Esophagitis is merely an inflammatory disease, which is relatively common in clinical settings and often related to excessive stomach acid, acid reflux, or other physical and chemical irritants. Esophageal cancer, on the other hand, is a malignant tumor. The mechanisms of their development, as well as the differences in prognosis and treatment plans, are very significant.

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Written by Peng Li Bo
Oncology
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Esophageal cancer screening methods

The best and clearest method for screening esophageal cancer is still gastroscopy, which can also be referred to as esophagoscopy. Endoscopic examination is very significant for this type of luminal tumor. Of course, if some people truly cannot tolerate a gastroscopic exam, they might consider initially undergoing a barium meal for the esophagus or iodized oil radiography for diagnosis. Additionally, a chest CT scan can be performed to determine whether there is narrowing in the esophageal lumen or if there is metastasis in the surrounding lymph nodes, among other issues. However, the best and most important method is certainly the esophagoscopy, or taking a biopsy of the pathological tissue under gastroscopy, which is very important for the definitive diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

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Written by Hu Zhong Dong
Medical Oncology
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Late-stage symptoms of esophageal cancer

What are the symptoms of late-stage esophageal cancer? Because in the early stages of esophageal cancer, the symptoms are often not very obvious, which leads many people to overlook them. By the time they feel very uncomfortable and seek medical advice, the cancer is generally in the middle to late stages. One common symptom in the later stages is progressive difficulty swallowing, which is a main symptom presented by many patients at the time of consultation. However, this symptom generally occurs only when about two-thirds of the esophagus's circumference has been infiltrated by the tumor, making swallowing difficulties a late-stage symptom. Other symptoms of late-stage esophageal cancer include hoarseness if the tumor compresses the recurrent laryngeal nerve, belching if it invades the diaphragmatic nerves, and symptoms like breathing difficulties and coughing if it compresses the airway.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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The main metastatic pathways of esophageal cancer

The main metastatic pathways of esophageal cancer include firstly, hematogenous spread, which can transfer to distant organs such as bones and the lungs or liver via the bloodstream. The second pathway is via the lymphatic system, which can lead to the metastasis of regional lymph nodes and other non-regional lymph nodes. For example, cervical esophageal cancer tends to metastasize to the supraclavicular and adjacent esophageal lymph nodes; in thoracic esophageal cancer, metastases may occur in the subcarinal, upper periesophageal, and lower periesophageal lymph nodes; metastasis can also be achieved through local spread and invasion of the tumor.

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Written by Peng Li Bo
Oncology
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What are the symptoms of esophageal cancer?

The symptoms of esophageal cancer generally include progressive difficulty in swallowing, because the esophagus itself is a tubular cavity, similar to a water pipe. Esophageal cancer typically forms a tumor within this tubular cavity, creating an obstruction. Consequently, the most common symptoms include difficulty swallowing and a sensation of blockage during eating, since food must pass through the esophagus. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, heartburn, and pain below the breastbone. Moreover, the difficulty in swallowing generally worsens progressively, as the tumor grows from small to large, increasingly narrowing the esophagus and exacerbating the swallowing difficulties.