Before my dad was diagnosed, I had no idea that chronic acid reflux could be a major risk factor for esophageal cancer. For that matter, I didn’t know anything about esophageal cancer.
While it’s considered a rare kind of cancer (less than 1% of cancers nationwide,) it’s rapidly increasing. Over 150% more incidences are diagnosed now than 10 years ago, and it’s now the 7th leading cancer diagnosis for men.
It’s scariest fact to me is that technically it could be highly curable in early stages – but there are virtually no symptoms (or no symptoms) early on. And once there are symptoms showing it’s frequently terminal. Which is what happened with Dad.
The good news for the future is there are more tests being developed, and while incidences are increasing, mortality is increasing to a 1 in 5 survival rate. And because less is known about it, that means more room for learning and increasing the odds. Dad was part of a “newer” treatment that gave him more time, and we can only hope developments with that, and more we don’t know about, mean this becomes less fatal. Eventually, it could be easily treatable.
For now, and especially during Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month, I hope more people can become aware of this cancer before they have to find out about it like we did – with heartbreak.
Today it feels most important for everyone to know major risk factors for it, including:
– Acid reflux
– Drinking hot liquids
– Obesity
– Smoking
– Alcohol
– While it occurs in both men and women, men are four times more likely to get esophageal cancer
There are ways to check for this early that you wouldn’t typically get at an appointment, so if these risk factors sound like something that might describe you, please see if your doctor can talk to you about it.