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WHAT IS OESOPHAGEAL CANCER?

Oesophageal cancer is a disease caused by tumours growing in the food pipe between the mouth and stomach.

The cancer is most common among people in their 60s and 70s and affects more men than it does women.

It can be hard to spot because it doesn't cause any symptoms in its earlier stages, and only becomes noticed once the tumour has grown.

And its initial symptoms are often mistaken for common and benign issues. 

Signs of the disease include difficulty swallowing, persistent indigestion or heartburn, loss of appetite, weight loss, and pain in the torso, chest or back. 

Six out of 10 patients die within a year of being diagnosed, according to Cancer Research UK.

Only 12 per cent of people survive for 10 years after a diagnosis. 

The exact cause of the disease isn't well known but smoking, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight or having an unhealthy diet are believed to increase someone's risk of getting it.

Sources: NHS and Cancer Research UK

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