To diagnose oesophageal cancer, your doctor will ask about your symptoms, examine you and may also ask about your medical history. There are several tests, incl endoscopy-this allows your doctor to look at the lining of your oesophagus and down into your stomach. Your doctor may collect a sample of the cells lining the oesophagus for testing. Another test is a barium swallow-swallowing a drink containing barium(a substance which shows up on X-rays).X-ray images are taken as the barium travels to your stomach, showing any narrowing or lumps in your oesophagus clearly. If these tests show signs of cancer, you will be referred to a specialist in cancer care, who may recommend further tests to find out if the cancer has spread, and if so how far. This is called 'staging'.
Attribution: BUPA