Esophageal adenocarcinoma What can be the cause of substantially rising incidence?

Before the 1970s, only 1-3% of esophageal cancers were adenocarcinoma. Since the mid-70s, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has shown the greatest increase compared to all other cancer types and overtook squamous carcinoma incidence in the mid-90s in the Western countries. Today, the relative incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in Hungary is 34.7% and around 60% in the Western countries. Some risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma have been identified such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett's esophagus, obesity, smoking and decreased prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection, but these risk factors were already present before the 70s. The prevalence of obesity and the consequentially developed gastroesophageal reflux has doubled during the last 40 years, but it does not explain alone the dramatic rise in the esophageal adenocarcinoma incidence. The H2 blockers, as new effective antisecretory medication, were introduced in 1976, coinciding in time with the substantial rise of esophageal adenocarcinoma. According to the DeMeester theory, the change in the pH of gastric refluxate caused by acid suppression enhances its carcinogenic potential. There are a lot of controversies among the prevention, etiology and treatment of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma, especially regarding the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), an even more effective group of acid suppressors. The effectiveness of PPIs has led to an overuse exceeding its regular indications with little benefit, exposing patients to a number of potential risks. In conclusion, in the dramatic rise of the esophageal adenocarcinoma incidence, obesity accompanied by reflux disease and the decreased incidence of H. pylori infection certainly play important roles. The introduction of modern antisecretory drugs in the treatment of acid-related diseases promoting carcinogenesis, arises as a new consideration.