Esophagitis and cancer of the esophagus.

Early diagnosis is an important factor in the effort to increase the healing rates of esophageal cancer; another consideration is the establishment of a reliable method of identifying risk groups. Alcohol abuse is known to be associated with a higher risk of esophageal cancer. The current investigation, based on a retrospective study of the records of patients with esophageal cancer, reveals a strong connection between cancer development and chronic esophagitis due mainly to reflux in about 10% of the patients. In the literature this connection has been suspected but never so clearly shown. The clinical implication may be a more rigorous approach to long-standing esophagitis in elderly patients.