The painful condition that hospitalized Kim Kardashian revealed… and its worrying link to disease that killed her father Robert at age 59

TV personality and business mogul Kim Kardashian has revealed her newest health struggle, sharing that she had to be hospitalized for a condition called esophagitis.

In a new trailer for the upcoming season of The Kardashians, clips show that the SKIMS founder was hospitalized with esophagitis, which causes inflammation and irritation of the lining of the esophagus. 

‘I have something called esophagitis,’ Kim tells her makeup team before she is shown laying on a hospital bed being cared for by healthcare workers. 

A friend of Kim’s then asks if it’s the same condition her father, Robert Kardashian, died from.

Kim’s father Robert, an attorney who defended OJ Simpson in his murder case, died from esophageal cancer in 2003. 

Esophagitis is a description of inflammation of the esophagus, not one specific disease, and it is separate from esophageal cancer – just because someone has the condition does not mean they will later develop the cancer. 

Additionally, the connection between esophagitis and esophageal cancer mainly stems from a person’s medical history of suffering from chronic reflux or a type of gastroesophageal reflux disease, not just from having esophagitis. 

Below, the Daily Mail explains everything you need to know about esophagitis and how it is connected to esophageal cancer.  

Kim Kardashian has revealed she was afflicted with esophagitis, a condition with heartbreaking reminders to  the disease that killed her father

What is esophagitis and how common is it?

Esophagitis is the inflammation of the lining of the esophagus, the tube that carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach.

Symptoms include painful or difficulty swallowing, heartburn and acid reflux, chest pain and food becoming stuck in the esophagus. 

Chronic inflammation that goes untreated can eventually lead to ulcers, bleeding or a buildup of scar tissue that narrows the esophagus, known as an esophageal stricture.

Repeated damage from esophagitis can develop into a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, a condition that can increase your risk of esophageal cancer. It is estimated that about five percent of American adults have Barrett’s esophagus.

Exact incidence of esophagitis is not known because it isn’t one distinct disease. 

However, about 20 percent of Americans have some type of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, which is one of the most common causes of esophagitis. 

GERD is a chronic digestive condition where stomach acid frequently flows back into the tube connecting your mouth and stomach, irritating its lining.

Another driver behind the inflammation can also be eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE.

Kim Kardashian, 45, is pictured above in August 2026 at an event in Hollywood, California

EoE is a chronic, immune-driven inflammatory disease where a type of white blood cell called an eosinophil builds up in the lining of the esophagus, causing damage and difficulty swallowing. 

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.