title: Sociodemographic Parameters of Esophageal Cancer in Northwest India: A Regional Cancer Center Experience of 10 Years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite various advances in the treatment of Esophageal Cancer (EC), being one of the least responsive tumors to cancer therapy, the overall prognosis remains poor. Therefore, it is significant to understand various sociodemographic factors associated with EC to find out various schemes for primary prevention of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective analysis of medical records of the EC patients registered in the regional cancer center of northwest India from January 2003 to December 2012. The site of the disease and the histology were also recorded in addition to the various sociodemographic parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 55,742 patients registered in our hospital; 3,667 were diagnosed to have EC. Male:female ratio was 1.15:1. The mean age was 54.6 ± 11.74 years; 66.15% of the patients were illiterate and 48.6% belonged to the low socioeconomic status. Smoking and alcohol consumption were identified as risk factors in 48 and 25.6% of the patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The etiology in majority of the patients is linked to tobacco and alcohol, thus, modification of life style with limiting the use of addictions may be an effective strategy in the prevention of this dreaded and mostly incurable disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment and Research Institute, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Akhil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Sardar Patel Medical College and Associated Group of Hospitals, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Vanita
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment and Research Institute, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Mukesh Kumar
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Singhal
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment and Research Institute, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Raj Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Nirban
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment and Research Institute, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Surender Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Beniwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment and Research Institute, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Harvindra Singh
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kumar
keywords: Esophageal cancer; northwest India; sociodemographic parameters