title: [Esophageal carcinoma].
abstract: After early rises, oesophageal cancer mortality rates have tended to level off in Italy over the last two decades, and are now intermediate on a European scale (4.7/100000 males, 0.8/100000 females, world standard). This reflects the trends in consumption of the major risk factors for the disease, tobacco and alcohol, particularly in men. Within Italy, there is also a substantial variation in oesophageal cancer rates, with high mortality areas in the North-East of the country. On the basis of a case-control study conducted in northern Italy, the relative risk (RR) of the disease was 4.3 in heavy smokers and 3.5 in heavy drinkers. A diet poor in fresh fruit and vegetables was also related to the risk of the disease (RR = 2.5). In terms of population attributable risk, 71% of cases in men and 32% in women were accounted for tobacco smoking, 45% in males and 10% in females by alcohol drinking, 40% in men and 29% in women by a diet poor in fresh fruit and vegetables (and hence in beta-carotene). These three factors together accounted for 90% of cases in Italian men, and 58% in women (83% in both sexes combined).
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milano.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Vecchia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decarli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D004032:Diet; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene