Reading this really saddened me. My Dad was diagnosed  with stage four squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus in January of this year 2021. It had already metastised to distant lymph nodes in the neck. 
I agree with everything you said, this needs to be screened from what I have seen it is the most horrific of cancers. The pain and suffering it causes is unbearable and begins even before the correct diagnosis is made. 
 

I'm writing this two years after your post and still nothing has changed. Even symptoms are still not better managed. My dads pain is somewhat better controlled but the overproduction of mucus and secretions have made his days and nights unbearable. His initial stent migrated and blocked any food from passing through so after three attempts was removed. But he has a 16cm tumour running along the length the oesophgus. So although he was sent on his way without any further plan for him after stent removed very quickly a few days later Dad was struggling with taking any liquid in. We had to go to a and e for him then to be given an ng to be fed by this. He had been stuck in hospital for four weeks now. He was given glycopyrronium for the secretions but this reduces them but makes them even hard to cough up as they are so thick so Dad spend hours and hours coughing and retching, it deprives him of sleep and energy. It is torturous. Thousands of people have come before my Dad and thousands will come after. Something needs to change. 

I am so sorry to hear you are going through this , it's as painful for you as a family member as it is the patient as you just feel so helpless . 
I had a meeting with the oncologists and so called 'specialists in this field ' and realistically they don't seem to be further forward . The only real way is early diagnosis as is easier to treat as I've said . 
All we can do is keep pushing these people and the press even to make early testing happen so those in the future have a better outlook . 
always here if you need a chat 

I am so sorry to hear you are going through this , it's as painful for you as a family member as it is the patient as you just feel so helpless . 
I had a meeting with the oncologists and so called 'specialists in this field ' and realistically they don't seem to be further forward . The only real way is early diagnosis as is easier to treat as I've said . 
All we can do is keep pushing these people and the press even to make early testing happen so those in the future have a better outlook . 
always here if you need a chat