Epidemiology and risk factors for esophageal cancer

Abstract

Esophageal cancer has a very dynamic global epidemiology with wide variations from region to region. Males from Eastern Asia, Southern Africa, and Eastern Africa have the highest incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, while the highest mortality rates occur in Middle Africa, Western Africa, and Eastern Asia. Esophageal cancer urgently requires increased research into the risk factors associated with the disease in order to develop population-based education programs and public health initiatives to reduce morbidity and mortality.