The exact cause of oesophageal cancer is not yet known. However, there are several risk factors that can increase your chances of developing this form of cancer.
Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol increases your risk of developing a number of illnesses and conditions, including cancer of the oesophagus. Long-term, heavy drinking causes irritation and inflammation in the lining of the oesophagus. If the cells in the lining of your gullet become inflamed, it increases the chance of them becoming malignant (cancerous).
Smoking
Using any form of tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars and pipes, will increase your risk of developing cancer of the oesophagus.
When you smoke tobacco, you always swallow some of the smoke, which contains many harmful toxins and chemicals. These substances irritate the cells which make up the lining of the oesophagus. This increases the chance of them becoming malignant.
The longer you smoke, the greater the risk of your developing oesophageal cancer. If you smoke and drink heavily, this will also increase the risk of you developing the condition.
Chronic acid reflux
There is a valve (cardiac sphincter) between the stomach and the oesophagus. This valve normally only opens when food is ready to pass from the oesophagus into the stomach.
Sometimes this valve becomes weakened, or relaxes at the wrong time. This condition is known as chronic acid reflux. If you have chronic acid reflux it means that acid from the stomach is able to travel up into the oesophagus. When this happens it causes heartburn, a form of indigestion which causes pain in the front of your chest.
Many people suffer from heartburn and indigestion, and having it occasionally will not cause you any serious complications. The risk of developing oesophageal cancer from acid reflux is very small, and a majority of people with the condition will not go on to develop cancer.
Barrett's oesophagus
If you have chronic acid reflux, it can sometimes lead to you developing another condition known as Barrett's oesophagus. Approximately one in 10 people who have chronic acid reflux will develop Barrett's oesophagus, although you are more at risk if you have had chronic acid reflux for a prolonged period of time.
Barrett's oesophagus causes new cells to develop in the lower oesophagus, which are very similar to stomach cells. These abnormal cells are resistant to stomach acid but are more likely to become malignant in the future. Approximately one in 100 people with Barrett's oesophagus get cancer of the oesophagus.
Obesity
If you are severely overweight, then the risk of you developing cancer of the oesophagus is approximately double than if you were a healthy weight for your height.
This may be because obese people are more at risk of developing Barrett's oesophagus - a condition which can increase the risk of you developing oesophageal cancer (see above).
Diet
A diet that is low in fruit and vegetables, or one which is lacking in vitamins A, C, or B-1 or zinc, has been shown to increase the risk of cancer of the oesophagus. If you eat a healthy, balanced diet, then you will usually get enough zinc and vitamins in your diet naturally.
Cancer of the oesophagus is much more common in the Far East, and Central Asia. It is thought that this may be partly due to the type of diet consumed in these countries. It may also be due to environmental factors.
Ageing
It is very rare for anyone under 45 years of age to develop cancer of the oesophagus. Most people who develop the condition are 55-70 years of age. Cancer of the oesophagus is also more common in men, than in women. In 2004, 7,654 people were diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus, and nearly 5,000 of those were male.
Chemicals and pollutants
Long-term exposure to certain chemicals and pollutants may irritate your oesophagus, particularly if you inhale these substances.
Chemicals and pollutants which are known to increase the risk of oesophageal cancer include:
- soot,
- metal dust,
- vehicle exhaust fumes,
- lye (a chemical found in strong industrial and household cleaners), and
- silica dust (dust which comes from materials like sandstone, granite and slate).
If you have to work with these substances as part of your job, make sure that you take all of the necessary health and safety precautions. This should help minimise your exposure to these potentially harmful substances.
