This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chang-Claude, J. C. Articles by Correa, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chang-Claude, J. C. Articles by Correa, P.

An Epidemiological Study of Precursor Lesions of Esophageal Cancer among Young Persons in a High-Risk Population in Huixian, China

German Cancer Research Center, Institute of Epidemiology and Biometry, 6900 Heidelberg 1, Federal Republic of Germany [J. C. C-C., J. W.]; Henan Institute of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China [Q. S. L., Y. G. R.]; International Agency for Research on Cancer, 69372 Lyon Cedex 08, France [N. M.]; National Cancer Institute (Elena Regina), 00161 Rome, Italy [M. C.]; Department of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, 6900 Heidelberg 1, Federal Republic of Germany [R. R.]; University of Cambridge and Medical Research Council, MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge CB4 1XJ, United Kingdom [D. I. T.]; and Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112-1393 [P. C.]

The occurrence of chronic esophagitis, considered a precursor condition for esophageal cancer, among persons 15 to 26 yr of age and risk factors for the disease were investigated in Huixian, Henan Province, a high-risk area for esophageal cancer in the People's Republic of China. The 538 study subjects underwent an esophagoscopy with guided biopsies and cytology, a physical examination, an interview with a questionnaire including known and suspected risk factors for esophageal lesions, and collection of a 10-ml blood sample and overnight urine. One-third of the subjects was selected from households with a case of esophageal cancer in the past 6 yr and two-thirds came from control households. Histologically confirmed very mild, mild, and moderate esophagitis was observed in 31.6%, 10.7%, and 1.1% of 354 male and 30.4%, 4.3%, and 1.1% of 184 female subjects, respectively. In the multivariate case-control analysis of mild and moderate esophagitis compared with very mild esophagitis and normal subjects, the prevalence of mild and moderate disease was found to be positively associated with the consumption of burning hot beverages [odds ratio (OR) = 4.7], the prevalence of esophagitis among siblings (OR = 4.4), and family history of esophageal cancer (OR = 1.8) and negatively associated with the frequent consumption of fresh fruits (OR = 0.3) and wheat flour products (OR = 0.4). Weaker associations were seen for cigarette smoking and the use of cottonseed oil as the main cooking oil. Univariate associations seen with a clinical diagnosis of oral leukoplakia (OR = 2.7) and seborrheic dermatitis (OR = 3.7) are probably due to common risk factors such as smoking and nutritional deficiency. The present findings suggest that exposures early in life to environmental risk factors and nutritional deficiency may be responsible for inflammation and a weakened esophageal epithelium, resulting in a condition possibly more favorable for the development of esophageal cancer.

¹ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 10/ 5/89. Revised 12/ 8/89.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. Tan, X. Miao, L. Wang, C. Yu, P. Xiong, G. Liang, T. Sun, Y. Zhou, X. Zhang, H. Li, et al. Significant increase in risk of gastroesophageal cancer is associated with interaction between promoter polymorphisms in thymidylate synthase and serum folate status Carcinogenesis, August 1, 2005; 26(8): 1430 - 1435. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. H.-X. Xia, S. T. Zhang, S. K. Lam, M. C.-M. Lin, H. F. Kung, and B. C.-Y. Wong Expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and effects of bile acids and NSAIDs Carcinogenesis, January 1, 2005; 26(1): 11 - 15. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Miao, D. Xing, W. Tan, J. Qi, W. Lu, and D. Lin Susceptibility to Gastric Cardia Adenocarcinoma and Genetic Polymorphisms in Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase in an At-Risk Chinese Population Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., November 1, 2002; 11(11): 1454 - 1458. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. A. Kresty, M. A. Morse, C. Morgan, P. S. Carlton, J. Lu, A. Gupta, M. Blackwood, and G. D. Stoner Chemoprevention of Esophageal Tumorigenesis by Dietary Administration of Lyophilized Black Raspberries Cancer Res., August 1, 2001; 61(16): 6112 - 6119. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Song, D. Xing, W. Tan, Q. Wei, and D. Lin Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Polymorphisms Increase Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Chinese Population Cancer Res., April 1, 2001; 61(8): 3272 - 3275. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. Lagergren, W. Ye, A. Lindgren, and O. Nyrén Heredity and Risk of Cancer of the Esophagus and Gastric Cardia Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., July 1, 2000; 9(7): 757 - 760. [Abstract] [Full Text]