title: Epidemiology of esophageal cancer--an overview article.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esophageal cancer is one of the most serious tumor diseases worldwide, owing to its rapid development and fatal prognosis in most cases. To compare epidemiologic characteristics, data published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France and data from Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Republic were used.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a search of selected Czech and foreign literature focused on the epidemiology of esophageal cancer and its main risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An overview of esophageal cancer epidemiology is presented. Prevention of esophageal cancer should be based on early detection and surveillance of precancerous lesions, especially of Barrett's esophagus, and attention should also focus on modification of changeable risk factors, including tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse, and ingestion of hot and spicy food. Carefully designed epidemiologic studies, both descriptive and analytical, are required to increase understanding of the complexity of esophageal cancer etiology.
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Palacky University Olomouc, Hnevotinska 3, Olomouc 775 15, Czech Republic. kollarh@tunw.upol.cz
authors: Helena
authors: H
authors: Kollarova
authors: Lucie
authors: L
authors: Machova
authors: Dagmar
authors: D
authors: Horakova
authors: Gabriela
authors: G
authors: Janoutova
authors: Vladimir
authors: V
authors: Janout
mesh_terms: D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence