Esophageal Cancer Study Reference

University:
Stanford University
Course:
MED 101 | Human Anatomy
Academic year:

2023
Views:

410

Pages:

2
Author:

larbi43100

‭Esophageal cancer‬ ‭The esophagus joins the pharynx to the stomach over a distance of‬ ‭approximately 25 cm. Its upper orifice (open in the pharynx) is located at the‬ ‭height of the 6‬‭e‬‭cervical vertebra and its lower opening‬‭(open in the stomach), at‬ ‭the height of the 11‬‭e‭t‬ horacic vertebra. The esophagus‬‭has a cervical portion, a‬ ‭thoracic portion (in the posterior mediastinum) and a short abdominal portion‬ ‭(approximately‬ ‭2 cm). Its mucosa is of the non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium type.‬ ‭In 2010, 16,640 esophageal cancer diagnoses were made in the United States,‬ ‭and 14,500 people died from it.‬ ‭Impact‬‭-The incidence of esophageal cancer, all types‬‭combined, varies‬ ‭greatly from one country to another: very high in China and Iran (more than‬ ‭100/100,000 inhabitants), it is 100 times lower in Norway. Furthermore, it also‬ ‭varies within the same country (in France, it is much higher in Brittany and‬ ‭Normandy than in other regions). The average incidence in the United States‬ ‭is 6/100,000.‬ ‭The current incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is increasing while that of‬ ‭esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is decreasing.‬ ‭Sex‬‭ratio‬‭-The‬‭sex‬‭ratio‬‭is‬‭also‬‭very‬‭variable:‬‭strongly‬‭male‬‭predominance‬‭in‬ ‭certain‬‭places‬‭(20/1‬‭in‬‭Brittany),‬‭almost‬‭no‬‭predominance‬‭elsewhere‬‭(1/1‬‭in‬ ‭China).‬ ‭Ethnic factors‬‭-In North America and Western Europe,‬‭esophageal cancer is‬ ‭more common in black people if it is of the squamous cell type, but it is more‬ ‭common in white people if it is of the adenocarcinoma type.‬ ‭Age‬ ‭at‬ ‭diagnosis‬‭-The‬ ‭average‬ ‭age‬ ‭at‬ ‭diagnosis‬ ‭of‬ ‭esophageal‬‭cancer‬‭is‬ ‭60 years. It is exceptional before the age of 30.‬ ‭Role of socio-economic factors‬‭-It is indisputable:‬‭the lower the‬ ‭socio- economic level, the greater the risk of esophageal cancer.‬