April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month
RISBJ Staff | Apr 25, 2018
PROVIDENCE, R.I. –April, 2018 – The month of April is dedicated to raising awareness of esophageal cancer; a cancer that is considered the fastest-growing cancer in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute. Incidence of esophageal cancer has increased over 600% in the past three decades.
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation, a Rhode Island-based nonprofit, has been working to raise awareness, encourage early detection and to fund research of esophageal cancer since 2010.
In addition to the alarming increase, esophageal cancer has also become one of the deadliest cancers, as patients are typically diagnosed in later stages once the cancer has progressed. In fact, patients diagnosed with Stage IV esophageal cancer are faced with a survival rate of less than 4%.
The following four factors have contributed to the great increase and poor survival rate:
- Lack of awareness of risk factors and symptoms;
- No routine/standard screening;
- Late occurrence of symptoms, leading to late diagnosis and
- Lack of research funding for improved detection techniques and treatment options.
Major risk factors associated with esophageal cancer include, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), obesity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, heavy drinking and Barrett’s esophagus. GERD. which is also known as acid reflux disease, is the primary known risk factor for esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma) of which chronic heartburn and indigestion are the most common symptoms of the disease.
Millions of Americans experience heartburn and as many as one out of five Americans has GERD (including former President Barack Obama), unfortunately, many are unaware that chronic reflux could increase the risk of esophageal cancer.
Possible symptoms of esophageal cancer include: difficulty swallowing, sensation of food getting stuck, chronic cough, chronic heartburn, pain in chest and/or back. Again, these warning symptoms typically arise once the cancer has spread to lymph nodes and other organs and becomes difficult, if not impossible, to treat.
The estimates for esophageal cancer in the United States for 2018 are about 17,290 new esophageal cancer cases diagnosed and about 15,850 deaths from esophageal cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. With over a 600% increase in the past decades, the overall five-year survival rate is only 18.8%.
The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation awarded it’s first-ever grant to esophageal cancer research in July, 2015. Since then, over 20 medical researchers have inquired about funding. The charity hopes to fund esophageal research again in the near future.
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The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation: Established in Rhode Island on November 21, 2011, thefoundation’s mission is to raise awareness, encourage early detection and to fund research of esophageal cancer…in hopes of a cureTM. The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit organization, as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. For more information, visit: SALGI.ORG
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