Increased Risk of Esophageal Cancer

Last updated: Nov 19, 2009

	Increased Risk of Esophageal Cancer

 

Signs, symptoms & indicators of Increased Risk of Esophageal Cancer:

	Symptoms - Gas-Int - General   Difficulty swallowing Counter-indicators:   No difficulty swallowing

Risk factors for Increased Risk of Esophageal Cancer:

	Organ Health   Barrett's Esophagus   For unknown reasons, the incidence of cancers arising in Barrett's esophagus (defined as the number of cancers per 100,000 people in the general population) is increasing more rapidly than that of any other cancer in the United States. Unfortunately, most of these cancers are not detected until they have become so large that they are incurable. However, cancers in Barrett's esophagus that are detected when they are early and of small size, have a cure rate that is improved dramatically. If Barrett's esophagus is diagnosed, regular follow-up endoscopic biopsy evaluations are recommended for the early detection of changes that could lead to cancer. Surgery is the only therapy that has been proven to cure early adenocarcinoma arising in Barrett's esophagus. Therefore, if an early cancer is detected in endoscopic biopsies, surgery is generally recommended to remove the cancer and the premalignant Barrett's epithelium. Supplements and Medications Counter-indicators:   Selenium supplementation

Increased Risk of Esophageal Cancer can lead to:

	Risks   Cancer / Risk Reduction - General Measures

Recommendations for Increased Risk of Esophageal Cancer:

	Botanical   Green / Oolong / BlackTea (Camellia sinensis)   Regular and substantial consumption of green tea may provide protective effect against this type of cancer. Green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in women by 50%, and in non-smoking men and women by 60% [J Natl Cancer Inst Jun 1, 1994; 86(11): pp.855-8]. Risk decreased as tea consumption increased. Diet   Increased Fish Consumption   Study subjects who ate two or more servings of fish weekly had a much lower risk for esophageal, stomach, colon, rectum, and pancreatic cancers than those who avoided fish. In fact, the rates of these types of cancer were 30 to 50 percent lower among fish eaters. High fish consumption was also associated with lower risks for cancers of the larynx (30 percent lower risk), endometrial cancer (20 percent lower risk), and ovarian cancer (30 percent lower risk).   Vegetarian/Vegan Diet Lab Tests/Rule-Outs   Test AMAS (AntiMalignin Antibody Screen)

KEY

		Weak or unproven link
		Strong or generally accepted link
		Weakly counter-indicative
		Very strongly or absolutely counter-indicative
		May do some good
		Likely to help