Kim Kardashian shares on the upcoming season of “The Kardashians” that she has been diagnosed with a condition that can lead to the type of cancer that caused her father’s death more than 20 years ago.
The reality star and beauty mogul is shown discussing her health in a trailer released on Sept. 17 for the eighth season of the Hulu reality show.
“I have something called esophagitis,” Kardashian says in the trailer.
She is then seen in a hospital bed as a voice off camera asks, “Didn’t your father? Isn’t that what he died of?” Kardashian answers, “Yes.”
“I can’t; it makes me want to cry,” Kardashian’s mother, Kris Jenner, then says.
Here’s what to know about the condition and how it’s connected to the death of Robert Kardashian.
What Is Esophagitis?
It’s a condition in which your esophagus, the organ connecting the mouth to the stomach, is inflamed, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Esophagitis can cause chest pain or make swallowing difficult by creating the sensation that your throat is burning, swollen or sore.
It’s usually treatable, but if it’s severe and goes untreated, it can cause ulcers in the esophagus’ lining, scarring that can lead to difficulty swallowing, and a change in your esophageal tissues that can lead to esophageal cancer.
What Causes Esophagitis?
A common cause of the condition is chronic acid reflux, where acids in your stomach reflux into your esophagus, per the Cleveland Clinic. Frequent acid reflux or vomiting can cause esophagitis.
Causes of esophagitis include:
- Acid reflux
- Medications
- Infections
- Allergies
- Radiation
- Autoimmune disease
Frequently using certain medications like chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics and acetaminophen can also cause esophagitis by eroding the mucous lining of your esophagus, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Infectious esophagitis is rare and is usually caused by fungal or viral infections or occurs in those with weakened immune systems.
Cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy targeting the esophagus, chest or throat can also develop chronic esophagitis.
What Did Robert Kardashian Die From?
Kardashian was the father of Kim, Khloé, Kourtney and Rob Kardashian and the ex-husband of Kris Jenner. He was an attorney and businessman best known for being part of the defense team in the O.J. Simpson trial in 1995.
He died at 59 years old of esophageal cancer in 2003, which Kardashian references in the trailer.
Chemotherapy or radiation treatments for esophageal cancer can cause esophagitis. Conversely, untreated esophagitis can potentially lead to a diagnosis of esophageal cancer, per Cleveland Clinic.
In a 2023 interview with GQ magazine, Kim Kardashian recalled a conversation with her father that she had near the end of his life.
“I know you’re going to be okay,” she remembered her father telling her. “It’s almost like I can see ahead. I know you’re going to be okay, but just take care of your siblings for me. Just make sure you take care of them.”
Khloé Kardashian, 42, who was 19 when her father died, spoke about his loss with grief expert David Kessler during a 2025 episode of her “Khloé in Wonder Land” podcast.
“My dad died really quickly,” she said. “He had esophageal cancer, and I think he died like six or seven weeks after diagnosis of his cancer, so it was really fast. And my dad, I don’t think was lying to us; I don’t think he could accept himself that it was terminal, but he never used those words with us.”