Welcome to ESOCAN

Tom Vaughan

Jun 3, 2020 — 1 min read

An educational resource dedicated to the
prevention and control of esophageal cancer.

Each year over 600,000 people in the world are diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Unfortunately most do not survive more than a year, making it the sixth most common cause of cancer-related death. Much is known about the risk and protective factors for this cancer, providing opportunities for prevention through

avoiding causative exposures,
engaging in healthy activities,
chemoprevention, and
screening for precancerous conditions (in some cases)

*Of the almost 10 million cancer-related deaths that occurred in the world during 2020,5.5% were attributable to esophageal cancer. (Cancer Today*)

Purpose

The purpose of this website is to promote awareness of esophageal cancer, summarize its epidemiology (see background and risk and preventive factors) and demonstrate how this information can be used for personalized cancer prevention.

New research findings relevant to esophageal cancer causes and prevention will be highlighted from time to time in the blog. If you would like updates delivered to your inbox (1 - 2 per month), sign up for the newsletter.
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Most esophageal cancers worldwide are classified as squamous cell carcinomas. In the early 1970s, however, a previously unusual histologic type - adenocarcinoma - began a rapid rise in incidence that continued for over four decades to become the dominant type of esophageal cancer in the West. The BEACON consortium tab summarizes findings from this epidemiologic research consortium which was founded in 2005 to study underlying reasons for the increase and identify potential preventive measures. Additional information resources related to esophageal cancer prevention, treatment and patient support can be found in a menu tab as well.

Neoplastic progression in young Barrett's patients

Esophageal adenocarcinoma is quite rare among persons younger than 40 years, but the consequences of the disease, including years of life lost, can be devastating. Due to its rarity there has been little research on how risk factors in young persons (e.g., Barrett's esophagus (BE), obesity, GERD,

Diagnosis and management of GERD

While most adults occasionally experience symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux, such as heartburn and regurgitation, approximately 20% (30 million people in the U.S.) experience these symptoms more frequently, ranging from once a week to multiple times a day. (1) Complications associated with GERD can include esophageal strictures, ulcers, and even

Ethics of screening based on race/ethnicity

This article explores some of the ethical implications of using race and ethnicity for cancer screening, using esophageal adenocarcinoma and gastric cancer as examples. It highlights the disparities in cancer incidence and mortality among different racial and ethnic groups and examines the potential benefits and drawbacks of screening based (in

Tension between risk-based and patient-centered esophageal cancer screening

This interesting and thoughtful paper by Dr. Elspeth Davies at the University of Cambridge investigates the use of the capsule sponge test for screening Barrett's esophagus (BE) in a mobile clinic in England, highlighting the challenges in balancing patient-centered and risk-centered medical management. Through ethnographic fieldwork, the study

An educational resource dedicated to theprevention and control of esophageal cancer.