Investigation of esophageal cancer subtypes, epidemiological trends, and associated risk factors: A literature review

Abstract

Relevance: Esophageal cancers represent a significant public health problem in many parts of the world. Esophageal cancer development is a multifactorial process associated with various risk factors. Many studies have been identified that have examined various etiologic factors, including genetics, diet, infections, oral health, and underlying diseases. This brief review aims to provide a comprehensive survey of cancer epidemiology and a thorough assessment of established and suspected risk factors associated with esophageal cancer by distinct histologic subtypes.

The purpose was to study the relationship between risk factors and genetic susceptibility in the development of esophageal cancer, with particular emphasis on two distinct histopathological subtypes.

Methods: The literature review included a search for scientific publications in the following databases: PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane Lab, using the scientific search engine Google Scholar. The search depth was 10 years. The literature review included epidemiology studies describing and assessing the strength of the relationship between risk factors for esophageal cancer. It included studies only among adults, publications in English, and publications with clearly formulated conclusions. The exclusion criteria were case series, case reports, editorials, and conference abstracts. Out of 462 sources found, 45 were included in the analysis.

Results: Studies show that several factors increase susceptibility to esophageal cancer, including tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, opioid abuse, hot food and beverage consumption, gastroesophageal reflux disease, obesity, gastric atrophy, poor oral hygiene, changes in esophageal microbiota, suboptimal diets, viral and bacterial infections, and others. In addition, mutational profiles of esophageal cancer cells have revealed frequent mutations in specific genes, including TP53, NFE2L2, MLL2, ZNF750, and NOTCH.

Conclusion: The pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma cancer is multifactorial, with multiple recognized risk factors contributing to its occurrence. In contrast, the etiology of adenocarcinoma esophageal cancer remains relatively unknown, underscoring the need for ongoing research efforts to elucidate its fundamental causal mechanisms.