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Oncotarget

How Heartburn Can Turn Into Esophageal Cancer, and a Possible Biomarker

Jul 15, 2022
The podcast discusses how heartburn can lead to esophageal cancer, with a focus on risk factors like smoking and Western diets. It explores the connection between telomere shortening and tumor initiation in Barrett's esophagus, highlighting the potential of telomere dysfunction as a biomarker for predicting cancer risk.
08:10

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Unhealthy western diet and smoking contribute to acid reflux, leading to esophageal cancer.
  • Telomere shortening accelerates tumor initiation in Barrett's esophagus model, potentially serving as a biomarker.

Deep dives

Smoking and Diet's Link to Acid Reflux and Esophageal Cancer

Smokers have higher chances of experiencing acid reflux, a condition exacerbated by the popular but unhealthy western diet consisting of fried and processed foods, alcohol, and high-fat meats. Chronic acid reflux can progress to gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett's esophagus, and eventually esophageal adenocarcinoma. The rising incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in western countries calls for early detection to improve patient outcomes, with a biomarker potentially aiding in risk stratification.

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