Kim Kardashian has opened up about an unexpected health scare, revealing that she was hospitalized after developing esophagitis.
A trailer for the upcoming season of The Kardashians shows the SKIMS founder discussing the diagnosis. Esophagitis occurs when the lining of the esophagus becomes inflamed and irritated.
“I have something called esophagitis,” Kardashian tells members of her makeup team in the preview. She is later seen in a hospital bed while receiving care from medical professionals.
The diagnosis also brought up painful memories for one of Kardashian’s friends, who asked whether the condition was related to the illness suffered by her father, Robert Kardashian.
Robert Kardashian, the attorney who was part of OJ Simpson’s defense team during his murder trial, died from esophageal cancer in 2003.
Esophagitis refers to inflammation in the esophagus rather than a specific disease. It is also distinct from esophageal cancer, and having esophagitis does not automatically mean a person will go on to develop cancer.
The cancer concern is more closely associated with a history of long-term acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly known as GERD, than with esophagitis alone.
Here is what to know about esophagitis, its symptoms and the circumstances in which it may be linked to esophageal cancer.
Kim Kardashian has revealed that she experienced esophagitis, a diagnosis that carried painful memories because of the disease that claimed her father’s life
What is esophagitis, and how widespread is it?
Esophagitis develops when the tissue lining the esophagus becomes inflamed. The esophagus is the passage that moves food and liquids from the mouth down to the stomach.
Common symptoms can include painful or difficult swallowing, heartburn, acid reflux, chest discomfort and the sensation that food is lodged in the esophagus.
When inflammation continues without treatment, it can result in ulcers, bleeding or the formation of scar tissue. That scarring may narrow the esophagus, creating a complication known as an esophageal stricture.
Ongoing irritation can also contribute to Barrett’s esophagus, a condition that raises the risk of developing esophageal cancer. Experts estimate that roughly five percent of American adults have Barrett’s esophagus.
Because esophagitis describes inflammation from several possible causes rather than one individual disease, its precise rate of occurrence is difficult to determine.
Around 20 percent of Americans are affected by some form of GERD, a chronic digestive disorder and one of the leading causes of esophagitis.
With GERD, stomach acid repeatedly moves upward into the esophagus, irritating the tissue and potentially triggering inflammation over time.
Eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE, is another possible cause of the condition.
Kim Kardashian, 45, is pictured in August 2026 at an event in Hollywood, California
EoE is a long-term immune-related disorder in which eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, accumulate in the esophageal lining. That buildup can damage the tissue and make swallowing difficult.
It is estimated there are about 147 cases of EoE per 100,000 people – representing about 0.15 percent of the population.
What causes esophagitis and what are risk factors?
Along with GERD and EoE, other factors that play a role in the development of esophagitis are acid reflux, certain medications and infection.
Taking certain pills orally can injure the esophagus if the pill remains in contact with the muscular tube for too long. This is sometimes called pill-induced or drug-induced esophagitis.
Infectious esophagitis can be caused by a fungal or viral infection and is most often associated with esophagitis in people with weakened immune systems.
There are also certain lifestyle factors that increase the risk of developing esophagitis or any of the conditions that may contribute to it.
These include obesity because extra weight puts pressure on the stomach and increases the likelihood of acid reflux, a hernia, a medical condition where part of the stomach pushes up through the diaphragm and weakens the valve that keeps acid down, pregnancy due to hormones and physical changes that raise the risk of acid reflux, as well as smoking and alcohol consumption.
Diet can also play a role. Consuming large meals or meals heavy in fat and grease, as well as consuming caffeine, chocolate and spicy foods, can also contribute to esophagitis, especially right before lying down.
Robert Kardashian, shown above, died at age 59 from esophageal cancer in 2003
What is the connection between esophagitis and esophageal cancer?
A diagnosis of esophagitis does not mean a person will go on to develop esophageal cancer, which is predicted to affect 22,530 Americans in 2026, killing an estimated 16,290.
Esophageal cancer represents one percent of all cancer diagnoses and 2.6 percent of all cancer deaths.
The average five-year survival rate is about 22 percent.
Esophageal cancer is rare, with an estimated lifetime risk of 0.5 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Risk factors for esophageal cancer include long-term acid reflux, smoking and heavy alcohol consumption.
The connection between esophagitis and esophageal cancer is the occurrence of chronic acid reflux, which can lead to reflux-related inflammation and esophagitis.
This can then turn into Barrett’s esophagus in some people, which can then progress into esophageal adenocarcinoma.
The National Cancer Institute states chronic GERD also has an association with esophageal cancer because the repeated exposure of the esophagus to stomach contents can damage the lining of the muscular tube.
Kardashian is pictured above in a trailer for the episode where she finds out she has the condition
In some people, when this damage occurs, the normal cells lining the esophagus are replaced by different cells, which causes Barrett’s esophagus.
These abnormal cells can then turn cancerous.
While chronic esophagitis raises the risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus, which in turn raises the risk of esophageal cancer, not everyone with either or both of these conditions will go on to develop esophageal cancer.
How is esophagitis treated?
Esophagitis can be treated using various methods. For reflux esophagitis, treatment focuses on reducing stomach acid regurgitation, including lifestyle and dietary changes and proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) medications, which can be purchased over-the-counter at many pharmacies, grocery stores and convenience stores.
For EoE, PPIs are also recommended, along with steroids, food elimination diets and a minimally invasive procedure called esophageal dilation, which can stretch and widen a narrow esophagus.
For infectious esophagitis, treatment targets the underlying infectious agent, which can include an antiviral or antifungal medication.
