Without treatment, an esophageal cancer victim will survive for about 6 to 12 months after diagnosis. Cancer of the esophagus tends to develop very quickly. The primary cancer cells can pass into the lymphatic channels to give rise to other cancers (metastases) in nearby or distant organs. The sites most common affected by metastasis are the lungs and liver. The most common complications of oesophageal cancer include:
- obstruction of the esophagus
- chest pain (which indicates that the cancer has spread to the lungs)
- brutal haemorrhage
- tracheal stenosis or collapse
- swelling and irritation of the pericardium (hear problem)
- collection or formation of pus in the lung cavity (purulent pleurisy)
- bone metastases associated with hypercalcemia
- Paraneoplastic syndromes.