Hard choking sensation when swallowing food, pain, stuffy discomfort behind the sternum, foreign body sensation in the esophagus or pain in the upper abdomen are the first signs of esophageal cancer. Measures for early detection: Choking sensation in the throat: it is the most common and can disappear and recur spontaneously without affecting eating. It often occurs when the patient has mood swings, so it is easily mistaken for functional symptoms. Posterior sternal and subxiphoid pain: more common. There is retrosternal or subxiphoid pain when swallowing food, which can be burning, pinching or pulling in nature, and is characterized by swallowing rough, burning or irritating food. Food retention infection and foreign body sensation: when swallowing food or drinking water, there is a feeling of slow downward movement and retention of food, as well as a feeling of tightness behind the sternum or food adhering to the esophageal wall, etc., which disappears after eating. Dryness and tightness in the throat: This is especially noticeable when swallowing dry and rough food, and the occurrence of this symptom is often related to the patient’s mood swings.