Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month
April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month and raising awareness of esophageal cancer is important because it is one of the fastest-growing cancer diagnoses in the US. Nearly 18,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. In the last 30 years, there has been an over 600 percent increase in esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is typically found in the lower region of the esophagus and has been linked to acid reflux. “This increasing incidence gives cause for great concern due to the fact that esophageal cancer is often diagnosed in late stages,” said Mark Stern, MD with DeKalb Gastroenterology Associates, LLC. “The American Cancer Society estimates that over 15,000 Americans die from esophageal cancer each year and survival rate is low when diagnosed in an advanced stage.” Although esophageal cancer is not entirely preventable, knowing the risk factors and recognizing the symptoms is important and can lead to earlier diagnosis. Chronic heartburn can lead to Barrett’s e...