Is spitting blood a common symptom?

Hello everyone,

I've posted this on several forums, because I am hoping more people see this and might chime in.  Over the past year, I have had several episodes of spitting up blood.  It's not from bleeding gums or tooth decay.  I feel that the blood is coming from the back of the throat.  Over the past year, I felt that I could taste blood all the time.  But, whenever I would spit, it seemed clear or clearish--maybe slight discoloration from coffee drinking, etc...  However, by the middle of the year, I clearly spit up blood after eating a rough toasted sandwich.  I was spitting up blood on and off for 3-4 days.  Then it stopped.  I thought it was related to my bad GERD that I've had for a long time.  So, I switched up my sleeping position and went on the GERD diet.  I made an appt with an ENT.  I was supposed to see him anyways for a six month post biopsy follow up.  I told him about what happened, and he didn't seem fazed by it.  He just felt up my lymph nodes, said I was fine, and we parted.  Anyways, a month later the same thing happens.  This time, I think it's my acid reflux acting up again.  So, I switch back to my sitting sleep position, and after 3-4 days the blood thing goes away.  I thought, ok, must be acid reflux.  Then it happens AGAIN.  So, I see a new ENT when it's happening.  He scopes me, both sides of nostril, checks my mouth, gags me with his finger, and feels up all of my lymph nodes.  He says he doesn't see anything.  He wants to do a chest X ray, but I've had a few of those already in the past year for TB testing, and they came out fine.

Anyways, just recently, I've been having the blood spitting problem more frequently.  I think if I lie down for awhile, and get up to spit, I can see blood.  Maybe the blood is pooling downwards while I'm sitting so I don't see it as much as lying down.  I really don't know.  I am just wondering, is spitting up blood a common symptom with esophageal cancer?  Have you guys had this symptom before getting diagnosed?