Cancers Signs Include Hiccups

Hiccups could be more than just an annoying occurrence. According to researchers, persistent hiccups could be caused by cancer of the esophagus. Additional symptoms of this involuntary spasm of the diaphragm include weight-loss and difficulty swallowing. Other more common causes of hiccups are believed to be eating too quickly, eating too much, laughing and drinking too much alcohol. In a recent study of 99 patients with esophageal cancer, 27 complained of persistent hiccups. Cancer of the esophagus is the sixth most frequently found cancer worldwide with more than 400,000 cases detected annually. The most important risk factors of esophageal cancer are smoking and alcohol.