Early symptoms of esophageal cancer in women

Early symptoms of esophageal cancer in women:

1. Pharyngeal obstruction is the most common, which can disappear or recur on its own and does not affect eating. It often occurs when the patient is emotionally unstable and can be easily mistaken for a functional symptom.

2. Pain behind the sternum and under the xiphoid process is more common. When swallowing food, the pain behind the sternum or under the xiphoid process may be burning, stabbing or pulling in nature, mainly when swallowing rough, burning or irritating food. At first, it is intermittent. When cancer invades nearby tissues or penetrates, there may be severe and continuous pain. The pain site is often not completely consistent with the lesion site in the esophagus. The pain can be temporarily relieved by antispasmodics.

3. When food is retained and foreign body sensation occurs, there is a feeling of food slowly falling and being retained when swallowing food or drinking water, as well as a feeling of tightening behind the sternum or food adhering to the esophageal wall, and the food disappears. The location of the symptoms is mostly consistent with the lesion site in the esophagus.

4. Dryness and tightening of the throat are particularly obvious when swallowing dry and rough food. The occurrence of this symptom is often related to the patient's mood swings.

5. A small number of patients with other symptoms may experience discomfort, pain, and difficulty breathing behind the sternum.