title: Gastroesophageal reflux disease and non-esophageal cancer.
abstract: The association of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and esophageal cancer is well known. The carcinogenic properties of the gastroduodenal contents may also lead to cancer in target organs for GERD especially considering that they do not have intrinsic protective mechanisms as found in the esophagus. This review focuses on the putative relation between GERD and non-esophageal cancer. Most of the papers reviewed are far from ideal to prove the relationship of extra-esophageal cancer and GERD since a small number of patients is presented, most do not control cases based on tobacco usage and obesity, and the diagnosis of GERD is variable, not always from an objective measurement such as pH monitoring but relying on symptoms in most reports. Nevertheless, head and neck and lung cancer have a growing incidence parallel to GERD and a shift towards non-smoking, female gender and adenocarcinoma (compared to squamous cell carcinoma) is arising, similar to the example of esophageal cancer with the exception of the female gender.
authors.affiliation: Fernando AM Herbella, Sebastião Pannocchia Neto, Department of Surgery, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04037-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando A M
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Herbella
authors.affiliation: Fernando AM Herbella, Sebastião Pannocchia Neto, Department of Surgery, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04037-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sebastião Pannocchia
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.affiliation: Fernando AM Herbella, Sebastião Pannocchia Neto, Department of Surgery, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04037-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ilka Lopes
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.affiliation: Fernando AM Herbella, Sebastião Pannocchia Neto, Department of Surgery, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04037-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Licia Caldas
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Cancer; Gastroesophageal reflux; Larynx; Lung; Pharynx; Trachea