tumors

Prevent esophageal cancer

Preventing esophageal cancer essentially means minimizing the risks associated with the variables on which it is possible to intervene; it is therefore a question of acting above all on lifestyle and nutrition.

Esophagus tumor

The cancer of the esophagus mainly affects the male sex, is a carcinoma not very common in Italy (0.8-4.9 cases per 100, 000 inhabitants with prevalence in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia) but burdened by a very high mortality rate.

This happens because, in addition to being typically a malignant tumor, the carcinoma of the esophagus proves to be asymptomatic until the moment in which the severe impairment of the organ occurs, a stage which is generally associated with considerable invasiveness with lymphatic, contiguous and blood metastases organs connected by the arteriovenous stream.

The typical symptomatology of esophageal cancer is linked to the difficulty in swallowing, or dysphagia; this is almost always progressive and accompanied by weight loss (due to difficulty in eating), pain or a sense of oppression in the retrosternal area. and, only later, it is associated with other symptoms related to metastases.

The diagnosis of esophageal cancer is quite simple; endoscopy, RX, CT, MRI and other last generation techniques are used but, as anticipated, the big problem of this pathology remains the lack of precociousness in the diagnosis; in this regard it would be appropriate that, especially in the areas most at risk, in males, in subjects with familiarity for esophageal cancer and in those characterized by familiarity for other related pathologies, diagnostic screening procedures useful to promote recognition and possibly to prepare an emergency therapeutic intervention.

Risk factors

Although the importance percentages of the various risk factors are not well defined, it is however well known that lifestyle and nutrition greatly affect the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer.

The most relevant components are certainly smoking and alcoholism (even worse if associated) and a diet rich in nitrosamine but poor in retinol, magnesium and iron.

In parallel, it was found that some diseases or disorders of the esophagus are frequently accompanied by an increase in the incidence of cancer; this is the case of Tilosis, achalasia (esophageal hypermotility disease), viral and bacterial infections, polyps, diverticula, inflammatory stenosis, Barrett 's esophagus (especially if NOT treated) and oesophageal scars ( for example by swallowing caustic agents). Other risk factors can be considered the black race and the male sex .

Prevent esophageal cancer with adequate nutrition and lifestyle

In order to effectively prevent the occurrence of esophageal cancer it is essential:

  1. Reduce all risk factors
  2. Adopt mass screening and, if necessary, keep the individual monitoring frequency active

The reduction of risk factors refers, of course, to the correction of nutrition and lifestyle, as well as to the treatment of related diseases; since it is not possible to intervene on the inheritance of comorbidities, on sex and on ethnicity, it is advisable that each of us try to carefully follow the following guidelines useful for the prevention of esophageal cancer:

  1. Eliminate smoking, especially if accompanied by alcohol abuse; cigarette smoking, but also cigar and pipe smoking, favors the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as highly toxic and potentially carcinogenic molecules.
  2. Eliminate alcoholism, especially if accompanied by smoking; alcohol is a pro-oxidant and toxic molecule at the level of all body tissues (including the mucous membrane of the esophagus)
  3. Minimize foods containing nitrates and nitrites in order to limit the formation of nitrosamines; these are molecules used as fertilizers (therefore they represent pollutants of ground water) and / or as food additives which, reacting with nitrogen compounds (thanks to bacteria), are transformed into nitrosamines; nitrosamines are highly carcinogenic compounds for the esophagus but also for the stomach, intestines, liver and pancreas.
  4. Promote a diet rich in antioxidants (especially retinol - vit. A) and do not neglect the intake of iron and magnesium.
  5. Take care of the esophageal pathologies; some disorders such as achalasia, Barrett's esophagus induced by gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), inflammatory stenoses, diverticula, polyps etc. can be improved with pharmacological, endoscopic, dietary and possibly surgical intervention.
  6. Take care of the hygienic aspect, prevent pathogenic contagion and avoid home accidents; HPV or papilloma virus and Helicobacter pilory are two pathogens strongly related to transformant-mutogenic infections. The cohabitation with subjects carrying these infections must foresee: 1. The therapeutic procedure useful for the treatment 2. Hygienically suitable behaviors for the reduction of the possibilities of contagion.

    Less direct but still important, the control of household accidents towards children that, in case of improper storage of caustic products, could mistakenly swallow them; in case of voluntary ingestion due to attempted suicide periodic monitoring of esophageal integrity will be necessary.

Preventing esophageal cancer is possible but, as with most carcinomas, it requires a real awareness of the subjects potentially at risk and a consequent commitment in the modification of lifestyles, nutrition and periodic and systematic endoscopic monitoring. .