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Dr. Grayson (February 21, p. 445) asks about changes in vital statistics of 3rd world populations as they develop. Of African populations, those in Johannesburg and other large South African cities, while still in transition, have now reached a relatively high level of sophistication. Their health pattern is likely to be that of other African countries as they prosper. The (IMR) infant mortality rate of blacks in Soweto, Johannesburg, is about 40/1000 live births, although nearer 30 in the regularly employed elite. This figure is similar to that for blacks in New York in 1965 and for class 5 persons in the United Kingdom. Small-town dwellers have higher IMRs and in rural areas the rates are higher still although they are decreasing everywhere. Family size is decreasing; in urban areas the average family has 3-4 children and the elite have 2-3. In Johannesburg during the 1960s, the birth rate was about 40/1000 and it is now 25. While the rate is higher in rural areas, it is falling. In the very young, gastroenteritis with or without malnutrition is still the leading cause of sickness and death in both urban and rural areas. Rates are however decreasing. Deficiency diseases, especially pellagra, remain a health problem in some areas. Tuberculosis still continues to be a major hazard although it is being dealt with. With the rise in socioeconomic status and associated changes in diet and lifestyle, obesity, especially in urban areas and especially among women, is becoming very prominent. Hypertension is more common and is the leading cause of natural death among urban dwellers. The toll from coronary heart disease and noninfective bowel disease remains inexplicably low, but diabetes is only somewhat less prevalent than it is among whites. Changes in cancar pattern and rates are slight; however, esophageal cancer in men and cervical cancer in women are the main causes of concern in the urban centers and some rural areas. Rising alcohol consumption is a major problem with its ramifications in pancreatic, liver, and heart problems. Cigarette smoking is now as common as among whites. Because of low rates for most degenerative diseases, blacks have, at middle age, a life expectancy exceeding that of whites. As sections of the 3rd world population prosper, the IMR decreases enormously as does family size. However, infections and malnutrition among the very young and tuberculosis in older groups remain important problems. Among adults, rises occur in some degenerative diseases but not in others, and diseases linked with hypertension and alcohol consumption have become formidably common, as they have in other developing and developed countries.
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PMID:Third World policies and realities. 611 Sep 78

The patterns of esophageal cancer are dramatically changing in the United States. Three decades ago the large majority of these cancers were squamous cell carcinomas, but the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has been steadily increasing. By the early 1990s, adenocarcinoma had become the most common cell type of esophageal cancer among white patients, although squamous cell cancers still predominated among black patients. The trends are not simply due to gastric cardia cancers now being called esophageal adenocarcinomas, because the rates of tumors appearing just below the esophageal-gastric junction are also increasing. Tobacco and alcohol consumption are the primary causes of squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus. The causes of esophageal adenocarcinoma are not well known; thus, reasons for the increasing incidence are not clear. Tobacco smoking has now been established as a risk factor, but there appears to be little link to alcohol consumption. One of the strongest emerging risk factors, however, is obesity. Increases in the prevalence of obesity and the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma are parallel, and several epidemiologic studies have shown upwards of threefold excess risks among overweight individuals. Further research into the causes of these usually fatal cancers may help identify other potential determinants and provide needed information to help stem their increase.
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PMID:The changing epidemiology of esophageal cancer. 1056 4

The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction (EGJ) has been increasing over the past 15 years in western countries. Surgical series and population-based studies show that, by 1994, adenocarcinomas of the esophagus accounted for half of all esophageal cancer among white men. The causes of this increase in incidence remain to be elucidated. Esophageal adenocarcinomas and a portion of EGJ adenocarcinomas arise from long and short segments of specialized intestinal metaplasia (Barrett's esophagus). The prevalence of long segments of Barrett's esophagus (> 3 cm) in patients having endoscopy for reflux symptoms is 3%, and 1% in those undergoing endoscopy for any clinical indication. However, a silent majority of patients with Barrett's esophagus remain unrecognized in the general population and may not be diagnosed unless adenocarcinoma develops. Recent studies document a rise in the diagnosis of specialized intestinal metaplasia of the cardia. Nearly all these patients have associated carditis, and Helicobacter pylori infection has been linked to this condition. The possible origin of EGJ adenocarcinomas in the sequence carditis--specialized intestinal metaplasia needs to be clarified. Smoking and obesity are additional risk factors for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and EGJ. Current data does not confirm H. pylori as a risk factor for cancer of the EGJ.
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PMID:Epidemiology of esophageal cancer, especially adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction. 1069 34

Over the last years the incidence of esophageal cancer in Germany has been rising. One of the reasons of this rise is the increase of adenocarcinoma (AC) of the esophagus, a nearly unknown diagnosis 30 years ago. The incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is rising, too. The main risk factors for the development of SCC as well as for AC are heavy smoking and alcohol. Barrett's esophagus is predominantly developing in men after a longer lasting gastroesophageal reflux. In consequence, AC of the esophagus will be observed mostly in men. Patients with AC differ from patients with SCC by a smaller number of concomitant diseases, which are often caused by obesity of patients with AC. The preoperative risk factors of patients with SCC are caused by tobacco and alcohol. Only patients with early cancer (pT1) of the esophagus have a good prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of 83% for AC and 63% for SCC.
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PMID:[Carcinoma of the esophagus--actual epidemiology in Germany]. 1144 1

Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and the gastroesophageal junction is the twentieth most common malignancy in the United States. In developed countries, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is increasing 5% to 10% per year. Despite the use of endoscopy for earlier detection, mortality from esophageal adenocarcinoma has not declined. Using an evidence-based approach, we review screening methods for esophageal adenocarcinoma, including the use of a symptom questionnaire, identification of patients with a family history of Barrett's esophagus, peroral or transnasal endoscopy, barium swallow, fecal occult blood testing, and brush and balloon cytology. Screening has not been shown to reduce rate of progression of Barrett's esophagus to esophageal cancer. Many treatment options for dysplastic Barrett's esophagus or early carcinoma appear effective, but long-term follow-up data are not available. There is currently insufficient evidence supporting population-based screening for Barrett's esophagus. Several risk factors, including severe reflux symptoms, male sex, and obesity, may identify patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease who are at the greatest risk of the development of cancer.
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PMID:Screening for esophageal adenocarcinoma: an evidence-based approach. 1242

Most available information on the epidemiology of Barrettacute;s esophagus (BE) relates to patients with long segments (> 3 cm) of specialized intestinal metaplasia (SIM). Its prevalence is 3% in patients undergoing endoscopy for reflux symptoms and 1% in those undergoing endoscopy for any clinical indication. The latter prevalence is similar to the 1% found in autopsy series. A "silent majority" with BE remain unrecognized in the general population. BE is more common in men, and the prevalence rises with age. Recent endoscopic series document a rise in the diagnosis of endoscopically apparent short segments (< 3 cm) of BE (SSBE). The prevalence of SSBE in both unselected and reflux patients is 8% to 12%. Specialized intestinal metaplasia at the cardia, below a normal-appearing squamocolumnar junction, has been reported to vary from 6% to 25% in patients presenting for upper endoscopy. Unlike patients with long segment Barrett's esophagus (LSBE), the role of gastroesophageal reflux disease in the pathogenesis of SSBE and SIM of the cardia is controversial. Recent data suggest that the etiology of SIM of the cardia might be secondary to Helicobacter pylori infection, although the role of other environmental factors cannot be ruled out. The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and esophagogastric juction (EGJ) has been increasing over the past 15 years in Western countries. Surgical series and population-based studies show that by 1994 adenocarcinomas of the esophagus accounted for half of all esophageal cancer among white men. LSBE and SSBE predispose to the development of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and EGJ. The role of SIM of the cardia as a precursor lesion for EGJ adenocarcinoma is still unclear. The prevalences of dysplasia in LSBE and SSBE are around 6% and 8%, respectively. The incidence of adenocarcinoma in patients with LSBE is about 1 in 100 patient-years. Cancer risk for SSBE and SIM at the cardia is unknown. Smoking and obesity increase the risk for esophageal and EGJ adenocarcinomas.
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PMID:Trends in incidence and prevalence of specialized intestinal metaplasia, barrett's esophagus, and adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction. 1291 64

The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has risen rapidly over the past 3 decades. This increase had been most dramatic among white men. It has supplanted squamous cell carcinoma as the predominant histologic type of esophageal cancer in the United States. The reasons underlying this phenomenon are not readily apparent. Improvements in diagnostic techniques and changes in cancer classification may explain some of the rise in reported incidence rates, but detection bias and misclassification bias do not appear adequate to explain the increase entirely. Risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma are reviewed, with particular emphasis on their role in underlying the rising cancer incidence. The etiologic factors most likely to explain the current epidemic of esophageal adenocarcinoma are the parallel epidemic of obesity, rising use of lower esophageal sphincter-relaxing medications, decreasing Helicobacter pylori infection, changes in the Western diet, and distant smoking habits.
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PMID:The changing epidemiology of esophageal adenocarcinoma. 1465 11

Endoluminal scanning under endoscopic guidance, or endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), has become the most significant advance for imaging the gastrointestinal (GI) tract wall and contiguous organs in the past 20 years. It was originally designed to overcome the limitations in humans to imaging the abdominal organs transabdominally, such as large penetration depths and GI air. This imaging modality provides detailed images of pathological processes both within and outside of the GI wall since a high-frequency transducer can be brought into close proximity with the target regions. It has found most success in humans for the staging of lung, gastric, and esophageal cancer, the detection of both lymphatic and hepatic metastases, and diagnosis of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, as well as achieving an important role in interventional and therapeutic procedures. The EUS examination can be performed to examine both the thorax and abdomen in animals when both conventional transthoracic or transabdominal ultrasound are inadequate due to intervening air, bone, large penetration depths, or obesity. The echoendoscope is similar to a conventional endoscope but has an ultrasound transducer at its tip. Both radial and linear multifrequency scanners are available. Linear scanners allow fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the bowel wall or extraluminal structures. Transducer coupling is either by direct mucosal contact or by inflation of a water-filled balloon surrounding the transducer. Current thoracic applications for EUS in veterinary medicine include examination of the mediastinum, bronchial lymph nodes, esophagus, and pulmonary lesions as well as FNA of pulmonary masses. Abdominal applications include examination of both pancreatic limbs and the liver, including portosystemic shunts, detection of lymphadenomegaly, and examination of the gastric wall, duodenum, and jejunum. Other potential applications in dogs and cats include tumor staging and intrapelvic ultrasound.
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PMID:Endoscopic ultrasound instrumentation, applications in humans, and potential veterinary applications. 1470 50

Risk of development of some gastrointestinal tract cancers (colorectal cancer, pancreas cancer and liver cancer) is higher in type II diabetics. Another important risk factor is obesity (for gall bladder cancer in women and in men also for stomach and esophageal cancer). Pathogenetic factors have been explored especially in colorectal cancer (diet, hyperinsulinaemia, metabolic receptors activation, absence of physical activity). Our Czech study also proved up to 4 times increased risk of colorectal cancer in diabetics and, in accordance with literature, probable influence of persistent diabetes on tumour development. Type II diabetes mellitus should be considered as a risk factor especially for colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and pancreas cancer. In type I diabetics no risk of gastrointestinal tract cancers was proved.
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PMID:[Gastrointestinal tract cancer and diabetes mellitus]. 1530 38

Esophageal cancer is a highly aggressive neoplasm. In 2005, 14,520 Americans will be diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and more than 90% will die of their disease. On a global basis, cancer of the esophagus is the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In fact, gastric and esophageal cancers together accounted for nearly 1.3 million new cases and 980,000 deaths worldwide in 2000-more than lung, breast, or colorectal cancer. Although esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cases have steadily declined, the incidence of gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma has increased 4%-10% per year among U.S. men since 1976, more rapidly than for any other cancer type, and parallels rises in population trends in obesity and reflux disease. With advances in surgical techniques and treatment, the prognosis of esophageal cancer has slowly improved over the past three decades. However, the 5-year overall survival rate (14%) remains poor, even in comparison with the dismal survival rates (4%) from the 1970s. The underlying reasons for this disappointingly low survival rate are multifold: (a) ineffective screening tools and guidelines; (b) cancer detection at an advanced stage, with over 50% of patients with unresectable disease or distant metastasis at presentation; (c) high risk for recurrent disease after esophagectomy or definitive chemoradiotherapy; (d) unreliable noninvasive tools to measure complete response to chemoradiotherapy; and (e) limited survival achieved with palliative chemotherapy alone for patients with metastatic or unresectable disease. Clearly, additional strategies are needed to detect esophageal cancer earlier and to improve our systemic treatment options. Over the past decade, the field of drug development has been transformed with the identification of and ability to direct treatment at specific molecular targets. This review focuses on novel targeted treatments in development for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and distal esophageal and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.
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PMID:Targeted therapies for esophageal cancer. 1617 83


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