Oesophageal cancer and its treatment can cause side effects. Some may be permanent and may change
what you can eat, and how your body digests foods and absorbs essential nutrients.
Here we look at the common side effects and how to manage them.
Learn more about:
- Eating during and after treatment
- Reflux and choking
- Swallowing difficulties
- Poor appetite and weight loss
Eating during and after treatment
It is important to eat and drink enough to get the nutrition to stay hydrated and maintain your weight.
This will help you avoid malnutrition. If you are unable to eat and drink enough to meet your nutritional needs, you may need a feeding tube during or after treatment.
For more on this, see Nutrition and cancer.
→ READ MORE: Reflux and choking
Podcast: Appetite Loss and Nausea
Listen to more episodes from our podcast for people affected by cancer
Key resource
Download a PDF booklet on this topic.
Prof David Watson, Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor of Surgery, Flinders University, and Senior Consultant Surgeon, Oesophago-Gastric Surgery Unit, Flinders Medical Centre, SA; Prof Bryan Burmeister, Senior Radiation Oncologist, GenesisCare Fraser Coast and Hervey Bay Hospital, QLD; Dr Natalie Collier, Radiation Oncologist, Wollongong Hospital, NSW; A/Prof Melissa Eastgate, A/Executive Director, Cancer Care Services, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; Natalie Lalor, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Victoria; Chris Menzies, Upper GI Cancer Nurse Consultant, Flinders Medical Centre and Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, SA; Tammy Milne, Consumer; Stefanie Simnadis, Clinical Dietitian, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, WA; Prof Rajvinder Singh, Professor of Medicine, University of Adelaide, and Director, Gastroenterology Department and Head of Endoscopy, Lyell McEwin Hospital, SA.
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
