Obesity And Carbs Linked To Esophageal Cancer, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080225112604.htm

Cases of esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma) in the U.S. have risen in recent
decades from 300,000 cases in 1973 to 2.1 million in 2001 at age-adjusted
rates. A new study shows that these rates in the U.S. closely mirrored
trends of increased carbohydrate intake and obesity from 1973-2001  A new
study illustrates what may be a public heath concern as the composition of
U.S. diets changes and total carbohydrate and refined carbohydrate intakes
increase. Obesity is a risk factor for many types of cancer, and a diet that
includes a high percentage of calories from refined carbohydrates is a
common contributor to obesity. Carbohydrates were also unique in that no
other studied nutrients were found to correlate with esophageal cancer
rates. The causes of esophageal cancer remain largely unknown. Despite
recent advances in treatment, esophageal cancer has a poor prognosis. The
five-year rate of survival for esophageal cancer remains below 20 percent
and is the eighth-leading cause of cancer related death in American men.
"If we can reverse the trends in refined carbohydrate intake and obesity in
the U.S., we may be able to reduce the incidence of esophageal cancer," says
Dr. Li Li, senior author of the study.  This study is published in The
American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Carbohydrate Consumption and Esophageal Cancer: An Ecological Assessment
Cheryl L. Thompson, Ph.D.,1,2 Vijay Khiani, M.D.,3 Amitabh Chak, M.D.,3
Nathan A. Berger, M.D.,3 and Li Li, M.D., Ph.D.1,2
Departments of 1Family Medicine, 2Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and
3Medicine, Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer Program, Case
Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University and University
Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio
Am J Gastroenterol 2007;102:1-7

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