UCF College of Medicine Jun 3 2026 Patients with acid reflux, which occurs when stomach acid pushes up into the esophagus, know the symptoms all too well: heartburn, belching, chest pain and trouble swallowing. In addition to these ailments, acid reflux also increases the risk of esophageal cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of about 22%, according to the American Cancer Society.  UCF College of Medicine Associate Professor Claudia Andl, a throat and oral cancer researcher, is