Tejal Somvanshi
If you have ongoing heartburn or trouble swallowing, Kim Kardashian’s diagnosis may prompt a useful question: what is esophagitis, and when should symptoms be checked?
Kardashian revealed in the Season 8 trailer for The Kardashians that she has esophagitis. She says, “I have something called esophagitis,” in the trailer, which also shows her family reacting. Esophagitis means inflammation or irritation of the esophagus. Medical sources list several possible causes, including acid reflux, infections, medicines and allergies. Kardashian has not publicly disclosed the type or cause of her condition. Her father, Robert Kardashian, died of esophageal cancer in 2003 at age 59. In 2019, the family helped establish the Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health at UCLA.
For people with persistent heartburn, difficulty swallowing or chest pain when eating, the practical step is to seek medical advice rather than assume the cause. Esophagitis is not the same as esophageal cancer. Chronic reflux can be associated with Barrett’s esophagus, a change in the esophageal lining that increases the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Most people with reflux esophagitis do not have Barrett’s esophagus, and most people with Barrett’s do not develop cancer.
Esophagitis Is Not the Same as Esophageal Cancer
The esophagus is the tube that carries food and drink from the mouth to the stomach. Esophagitis describes inflammation of its lining. Acid reflux is a common cause, but it is not the only cause. Infections, oral medicines and allergic or immune reactions can also lead to the condition. The trailer does not say which cause applies to Kardashian.
Barrett’s esophagus is a separate condition associated with long-term acid exposure. It can increase the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, although medical sources describe the cancer risk as small for people with Barrett’s. That relationship does not mean Kardashian has Barrett’s esophagus or cancer. Nothing in the trailer establishes either diagnosis.
The UCLA center was established in memory of Robert Kardashian and focuses on treatment, research and education related to esophageal disorders. Its existence does not show that Kim Kardashian’s condition is hereditary.
Is esophagitis a precursor to esophageal cancer? Esophagitis itself is inflammation and is not cancer. Chronic acid reflux may be associated with Barrett’s esophagus, which can raise the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Most people with reflux esophagitis do not have Barrett’s, and most people with Barrett’s do not develop cancer. A clinician should decide whether testing or monitoring is appropriate.
Kardashian has not described her treatment or the specific type of esophagitis publicly. More information may appear when Season 8 of The Kardashians airs, but viewers should not treat a television trailer as a medical diagnosis for themselves.
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