HEARTBURN could be masking cancers that are becoming more deadly due to diagnosis delays, warn experts.
As many as four in 10 people get indigestion or acid reflux and for most it is nothing sinister.
But the charity Action Against Heartburn warns it can be a key symptom of oesophageal cancer in the throat.
Figures show that the proportion of people diagnosed at stage 4, when the cancer has already spread, has risen 46 per cent since 2013.
More than a third of patients now do not find out until it is too late for a cure.
Around 9,200 people are diagnosed each year and a tragic 80 per cent die within five years.
Jill Clark, chair of Action Against Heartburn, said: “Oesophageal cancer is the forgotten cancer.
“Incidence in the UK is disproportionately high and late diagnosis means that it is often fatal.
“The reasons for the increase in late-stage diagnosis are unclear but are likely to be due to a combination of strain on the NHS, referral delays, unhealthy lifestyles, an ageing population and poor symptom awareness.”
Cancer symptoms ‘can be vague’
Oesophageal cancer develops in the oesophagus, known as the food pipe in the throat.
Risk factors that increase the chance of the disease include smoking, drinking and being obese.
People who suffer from chronic heartburn or indigestion may also be more likely to develop the cancer, and it can also be a symptom once the tumour has started to grow.
Professor Sheraz Markar, NHS surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals, said: “Symptoms of oesophageal cancer can be vague but a common sign is persistent heartburn.
“Other symptoms can include problems swallowing, feeling or being sick, unexplained weight loss or chronic indigestion.
“If you experience any of these then we recommend that you see your GP.
“There are good treatment options if it’s caught early, but it becomes much more difficult once it has spread.”
The warning signs of oesophageal cancer
OESOPHAGEAL cancer is a cancer of the food pipe.
It affects 9,400 people in the UK every year, and most people are over the age of 60.
Smoking increases your risk of the disease, as does being overweight, drinking alcohol and having conditions like Barrett’s oesophagus, where the cells lining your oesophagus have become abnormal.
Only 12 per cent of patients survive for 10 or more years after being diagnosed.
There are around 8,000 oesophageal cancer deaths in the UK every year – or 22 every day.
Early diagnosis is key, so recognising the symptoms is vital. The most common include:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Unexplained weight loss
- Indigestion or heartburn that doesn’t go away
- Pain in the throat or behind the breastbone
But some people also experience a cough, hoarseness, dark poo, tiredness and food coming back up after swallowing.
Source: Cancer Research UK
