Esophageal cancer is a cancer of the esophagus, which is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. Risk factors for developing this cancer include smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and chronic acid reflux. Symptoms can include difficulty swallowing, chest pain, heartburn, and weight loss. It can be diagnosed by taking tissue samples during upper endoscopy (EGD). Depending on the stage of cancer, it may be treated with some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.