What Are the Risk Factors for Cancer of the Esophagus?
A risk factor is anything that changes your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, unprotected exposure to strong sunlight is a risk factor for skin cancer, and smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer as well as many others. Scientists have found several risk factors that affect your risk of cancer of the esophagus. Some are more likely to increase the risk for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and others for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Age The chance of getting esophageal cancer is low at younger ages and increases with age. Less than 15% of cases are found in people younger than age 55. Most cases occur in those 65 and older. Gender Compared with women, men have a 3-fold higher rate of esophageal cancer. Gastroesophageal reflux disease In some people, acid can escape from the stomach into the esophagus. The medical term for this is reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In many cases, reflux caus
