Man diagnosed with cancer dismissed symptoms as heartburn

By Ed Chatterton

A dad of one has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer after dismissing the symptoms as heartburn.

John Wardman, 60, had experienced acid reflux and heartburn for several years and frequently relied on Gaviscon to manage the discomfort.

The businessman said he just assumed the symptoms were simply something he had to live with and continued to use over-the-counter treatments whenever they arose — usually after drinking wine or eating spicy food.

But after he began waking at night choking and suffering from chest pains, he decided to see his doctor, who urgently referred him for investigation.

Tests later confirmed early-stage cancer of the esophagus — the food pipe — and John is now undergoing grueling chemotherapy treatment.

John is urging others not to ignore persistent heartburn after being diagnosed with what is the U.K.'s fourth biggest cancer killer in men.

Married John, of Mansfield, Notts., who works in his family's appliance business, said: "For two or three years before my diagnosis I relied quite heavily on Gaviscon.

"If I had a glass of wine or ate something spicy I'd take it and just carry on.

"I just thought it was one of those things."

Over time, however, John began experiencing symptoms that he now recognizes as warning signs.

These included waking suddenly during the night choking, ongoing reflux that didn't improve even while on holiday and occasional mild chest discomfort.

He added: "The symptoms didn't settle when I was away and relaxing, so when I came back I contacted my GP."

The GP gave him new medication to help but John began suffering another new symptom about a week later.

He added: "I suddenly became aware of the sensation of food travelling down my throat.

More from this section

Psilocybin mushrooms are going mainstream, but scientific research and regulation lag behind

Can gluten be passed down through kissing?

Forever chemicals in drinking water may trigger childhood asthma

"It didn't feel normal and it worried me."

Trusting his instincts, he contacted his GP again and was urgently referred for further tests.

An endoscopy was carried out within a week and revealed abnormalities in the esophagus, including an affected area measuring around three to four centimeters.

Further scans confirmed early-stage esophageal cancer linked to Barrett's esophagus.

As the cancer had begun to extend slightly into surrounding tissue, doctors recommended four cycles of chemotherapy followed by surgery.

John says he has always led an active lifestyle and believes this has helped him face treatment.

He enjoys skiing, walking, travelling and ballroom and Latin dancing, which he hopes to return to once treatment is complete.

He added: "I'm deeply grateful that I acted on my symptoms instead of relying on medication alone.

"Doing something made all the difference. It meant the cancer was picked up earlier and treatment could start quickly.

"The care I've received has been exceptional and I have complete trust in the NHS team supporting me."

Mimi McCord, founder of Heartburn Cancer UK, said: "Many people live with heartburn for years and simply manage it with over-the-counter remedies like Gaviscon or Rennie.

"They often don't realize that persistent heartburn or acid reflux can sometimes be a warning sign of something more serious.

"Esophageal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the U.K., yet awareness of the symptoms is still very low.

"That's why stories like John's are so important. If heartburn or reflux keeps coming back, particularly for three weeks or more, it's important to speak to your GP rather than continuing to self-medicate."

The NHS says symptoms of esophageal cancer can include: having problems swallowing (dysphagia), feeling or being sick, heartburn or acid reflux, symptoms of indigestion, such as burping a lot.

Other symptoms include a cough that is not getting better, a hoarse voice, loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to, feeling tired or having no energy and pain in your throat or the middle of your chest, especially when swallowing.