Kim Kardashian opens up about an esophagitis diagnosis in the Season 8 trailer, prompting memories of her late father’s oesophageal cancer.
Kim Kardashian has revealed a recent health scare in the newly released trailer for Season 8 of The Kardashians, disclosing that she was diagnosed with esophagitis, an inflammation of the oesophagus.
In the trailer, Kardashian is seen in a hospital bed discussing the diagnosis with her family. An unseen voice asks whether the condition is the same illness that caused the death of her father, Robert Kardashian.
Robert Kardashian died in 2003 at the age of 59, around two months after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer.
Esophagitis and oesophageal cancer are different conditions. Esophagitis involves inflammation or irritation of the oesophageal lining and can cause symptoms such as painful swallowing and chest pain. The trailer does not indicate that Kim Kardashian has been diagnosed with cancer.
Kim Kardashian undergoes medical procedure
Other footage in the trailer shows Kardashian being wheeled into what appears to be a medical procedure, while her mother, Kris Jenner, reacts emotionally.
“I can’t watch this,” Jenner says in the footage, adding that the situation makes her want to cry.
Kardashian has previously spoken about her family’s connection to oesophageal health. In 2019, she and other family members helped launch the Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health at UCLA, established in memory of her father and dedicated to research and treatment related to oesophageal diseases.
At the time, Kardashian expressed hope that the centre would improve access to information and promote greater awareness of health and prevention.
Kardashian previously discussed health scare
This is not the first health concern Kardashian has documented on The Kardashians.
During Season 7 in 2025, she revealed that doctors had discovered a small brain aneurysm, which she associated with stress. She later reassured fans during an appearance on Good Morning America.
The upcoming season is expected to explore Kardashian’s latest health concerns alongside the family’s personal and professional lives.
Season 8 of The Kardashians is scheduled to premiere on Hulu on October 8, 2026.