Learn More About Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal Cancer is one of the fastest growing cancer diagnosis in the United States, showing an increase of more than 600% over the last 30 years. It is also one of the deadliest, with fewer than 1 in 5 surviving longer than 5 years. And the shocking thing is that it is most often caused by something incredibly commonplace: hearburn (acid reflux).

As many as 15 million Americans experience heartburn every day. Persistent heartburn (two or more times per week) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause stomach acid to splash into the esophagus, producing cellular changes that can ultimately result in cancer.

About three million Americans currently have a condition known as Barrett’s Esophagus, a precancerous condition that results in as much as a 125-fold increase in an individual’s chance to develop esophageal cancer. Often esophageal cancer is not discovered until it has reached advanced stages when treatment outcomes are very poor.

But the good news is that new medical techniques have been developed that can virtually cure patients if their condition is detected at an early stage. That’s why ECAN is working to inform heartburn sufferers of the potential risk of developing Esophageal Cancer. Early detection saves lives.

If you suffer heartburn two or more times per week over several weeks, talk with your doctor about whether you need an upper endoscopy or one of the newer technologies to determine if you are at risk for esophageal cancer.

To learn more, visit ECAN.org.