Risk Factors for Esophagus Cancer
List of Risk Factors for Esophagus Cancer
The list of risk factors mentioned for Esophagus Cancer
in various sources
includes:
Risk factors discussion:
Alcohol What You Don't Know Can Harm You: NIAAA (Excerpt)
Long-term heavy drinking increases the risk of
developing certain forms of cancer, especially cancer of the esophagus,
mouth, throat, and voice box. Women are at slightly increased risk of
developing breast cancer if they drink two or more drinks per day.
Drinking may also increase the risk for developing cancer of the colon and
rectum. (Source: excerpt from Alcohol What You Don't Know Can Harm You: NIAAA)
What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI (Excerpt)
Cigarette
smokers are also more likely than nonsmokers to develop
several other types of cancer, including oral cancer and
cancers of the larynx, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, kidney,
and cervix. Smoking may also increase the likelihood of
developing cancers of the stomach, liver, prostate, colon,
and rectum. The risk of cancer begins to decrease soon after
a smoker quits, and the risk continues to decline gradually
each year after quitting. (Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI)
What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI (Excerpt)
People who smoke cigars or pipes have a risk for cancers
of the oral cavity that is similar to the risk for people
who smoke cigarettes. Cigar smokers also have an increased
chance of developing cancers of the lung, larynx, esophagus,
and pancreas. (Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI)
What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI (Excerpt)
Heavy drinkers have an increased risk of
cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx, and liver.
(People who smoke cigarettes and drink heavily have an
especially high risk of getting these cancers.) Some studies
suggest that even moderate drinking may slightly increase
the risk of breast cancer. (Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Cancer - An Overview: NCI)
What You Need To Know About Cancer of the Esophagus: NCI (Excerpt)
The exact causes of cancer of the esophagus are not known.
However, studies show that any of the following factors can
increase the risk of developing esophageal cancer:
-
Age. Esophageal cancer is more likely to occur as
people get older; most people who develop esophageal cancer
are over age 60.
-
Sex. Cancer of the esophagus is more common in men
than in women.
-
Tobacco Use. Smoking cigarettes or using smokeless
tobacco is one of the major risk factors for esophageal
cancer.
-
Alcohol Use. Chronic and/or heavy use of alcohol
is another major risk factor for esophageal cancer. People
who use both alcohol and tobacco have an especially high
risk of esophageal cancer. Scientists believe that these
substances increase each other's harmful effects.
-
Barrett's Esophagus. Long-term irritation can
increase the risk of esophageal cancer. Tissues at the
bottom of the esophagus can become irritated if stomach acid
frequently "backs up" into the esophagus -- a problem called
gastric reflux .
Over time, cells in the irritated part of the esophagus may
change and begin to resemble the cells that line the
stomach. This condition, known as Barrett's
esophagus , is a premalignant condition that may
develop into adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.
-
Other Types of Irritation. Other causes of
significant irritation or damage to the lining of the
esophagus, such as swallowing lye or other caustic
substances, can increase the risk of developing esophageal
cancer.
-
Medical History. Patients who have had other head
and neck cancers have an increased chance of developing a
second cancer in the head and neck area, including
esophageal cancer.
Having any of these risk factors increases the likelihood
that a person will develop esophageal cancer. Still, most
people with one or even several of these factors do not get
the disease. And most people who do get esophageal cancer have
none of the known risk factors. (Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Cancer of the Esophagus: NCI)
Risks factors for Esophagus Cancer: medical news summaries:
The following medical news items
are relevant to risk factors for Esophagus Cancer:
About risk factors:
Risk factors for Esophagus Cancer are factors that do not seem
to be a direct cause of the disease,
but seem to be associated in some way.
Having a risk factor for Esophagus Cancer
makes the chances
of getting a condition higher but does
not always lead to Esophagus Cancer.
Also, the absence of any risk factors
or having a protective factor does not necessarily
guard you against getting Esophagus Cancer.
For general information and a list of risk factors,
see the risk center.
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