The esophagus is a hollow tube that carries food and liquids from your throat to your stomach. Early esophageal cancer usually does not cause symptoms. However, as the cancer grows, symptoms may include painful or difficult swallowing, weight loss and coughing up blood.

Risk factors for developing esophageal cancer include

• Smoking
• Heavy drinking
• Damage from acid reflux

Treatments include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and laser therapy. You might also need nutritional support, since the cancer or treatment may make it hard to swallow.

Esophageal cancer is a serious form of cancer that starts in the inner layer of your esophagus, the 10-inch long tube that connects your throat and stomach. The most common symptom of esophageal cancer, usually occurring late in the disease, is difficulty swallowing and a sensation of food getting stuck in your throat or chest.

In the past, the outlook for people with esophageal cancer was poor. But survival rates have improved, in part because close monitoring of Barrett's esophagus - a serious, premalignant complication of acid reflux disease - can help detect cancer early, when it's more likely to respond to treatment.

Gastric Reflux and Barrett's Esophagus: Gastric reflux (the backing up of stomach contents into the lower section of the esophagus) may irritate the esophagus and, over time, cause Barrett's esophagus. Barrett's esophagus is a condition in which the cells lining the lower part of the esophagus have changed or been replaced with abnormal cells that could lead to adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. It is not known if surgery or other medical treatment to stop gastric reflux will reduce the risk of developing adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. 

In addition, diet and lifestyle changes can significantly reduce your chances of ever developing esophageal cancer.