Kim Kardashian Reveals She Is Suffering from a Serious Health Problem

• Kim Kardashian drops a bombshell.
• The new season of The Kardashians.

Kim Kardashian addresses a particularly personal topic in the trailer for the eighth season of The Kardashians, released on September 17.

The 45-year-old star reveals that she has been diagnosed with esophagitis, an inflammation of the tissues lining the esophagus. The announcement quickly takes on a much more emotional tone when footage shows her in a hospital bed. Someone off-camera then asks her if her father, Robert Kardashian, had suffered from a similar condition before his death.

Kim answers in the affirmative, immediately bringing back memories of her father, who died of esophageal cancer in 2003 at the age of just 59.

Esophagitis and esophageal cancer, however, are two distinct conditions. Esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus and can have various causes.

In some cases, if left untreated, it can lead to complications, including Barrett's esophagus, which is associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.

The trailer, however, does not specify the cause of Kim's esophagitis, its severity, or the treatment she is receiving.

The Sudden Death of Robert Kardashian

Kim's revelation is particularly upsetting given her father's medical history. Robert Kardashian, who had four children with Kris Jenner—Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob—died in September 2003 after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

Khloé Kardashian had also recounted just how quickly her father's illness had progressed during an episode of her podcast Khloé in Wonder Land that aired in April 2025. According to her recollection, Robert passed away just six or seven weeks after receiving his diagnosis.

Khloé also explained that she didn't believe her father had truly come to terms with the fact that his illness was terminal. This experience obviously left a deep mark on the entire family.

A Concern to Put into Context

Although the comparison to Robert Kardashian features prominently in the trailer, the diagnosis Kim announced does not mean she has cancer.

Esophagitis refers to irritation and inflammation of the lining of the esophagus and can be linked to conditions such as acid reflux, certain medications, allergies, or infections.

The trailer appears to deliberately play on concerns surrounding Kim's family history, but very little additional medical information is revealed. The hospital footage alone is therefore insufficient to determine the severity of her health issue.

We'll have to wait for the season to air to learn more details about the tests she underwent and the treatment recommended by her doctors.

Kris Jenner Brings It All Back to Family

This segment focusing on Kim's health is part of a trailer in which the fragility of life and the importance of family ties take center stage. Kris Jenner confides, in particular, that “life is truly precious,” before expressing her fear of seeing her children drift apart.

The matriarch then sums up her philosophy in a few words: for her, it all comes down to family. This reflection takes on special significance when the images of Kim in the hospital are juxtaposed with the death of Robert Kardashian. More than two decades after his passing, his memory remains deeply present in the daily lives of his children.

This new season of The Kardashians is thus expected to show a more vulnerable Kim, facing a health issue that inevitably brings back painful memories of her family's history.