Hello and thank you for your post

I'm sorry your mum and brother died from oesophageal cancer and you are wondering if this type of cancer is hereditary.

The majority of cancers are sporadic which means that there is not a family link. Our risk of developing cancer is due to a combination of our genes, our environment and things to do with our lifestyle, for example smoking. There is also an element of chance or bad luck.

Oesophageal cancer does not normally run in families as it's not thought to be hereditary. We don’t know what causes most cancers but there are some factors that may increase the risk of developing oesophageal cancer which you can read about at this link. 

There isn't a national screening programme for oesophageal cancer. However, some people found to have a condition or at risk of something called 'Barrett's oesophagus' where abnormal cells are found in the lining of the oesophagus they can often be monitored with endoscopies (camera down the throat) to check for changes to the cells and hopefully pick up cancer at an earlier stage. Anyone who feels they may be at increased risk or experiencing ongoing symptoms that aren't improving such as acid reflux and heartburn should talk this through with their own doctor, in case tests are needed.

We also have a section on our website that explains why we do not have screening for most cancers here. There are lifestyle factors that we can all do to help reduce our risk of developing cancer which you can read about here, 

I hope this is of some use to you. Give us a ring if you would like to talk anything over. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

Kind regards,

Celene