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Cancerous Effect of Acid Reflux

Heartburn is the travel of stomach acids back up from the stomach to the esophagus. Certain people are more predisposed to have it, and certain foods trigger heartburn episodes. Chronic heartburn often is called acid reflux, which has been linked to esophageal cancer.

  1. Incidence of Esophageal Cancer

    • According to WebMD, although many stomach cancers have declined in incidence over the past few decades, esophageal cancer rates have risen 600 percent.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of esophageal cancer include weight loss, difficulty swallowing or pain when swallowing.

    Diagnosis

    • To test for esophageal cancer, your doctor might recommend an endoscopy or an endoscopic tissue biopsy. Surgery is the main treatment for this cancer.

    Barrett's Esophagus

    • According to netwellness.org, the condition known as Barrett's esophagus causes abnormal tissue to grow in the esophagus. People who develop this are 40 times more likely to develop cancer.

    Prevention/Solution

    • You can reduce your chances of getting acid reflux and esophageal cancer by maintaining a healthy body weight, not using alcohol or tobacco, and not eating fatty foods.

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