Stop eating it while it's hot! It may harm you...

A study led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in June 2022 found that in East Africa, where esophageal cancer is also highly prevalent, a case-control analysis of risk factors revealed that people who are accustomed to eating hot food and eating quickly have a nearly four-fold increased risk of esophageal cancer compared to people who eat food at moderate temperatures and chew slowly.

The study was conducted in Malawi and Tanzania, two countries where hot tea, coffee and porridge are commonly consumed.

The researchers analyzed four behavioral factors related to "eating while hot", namely:

Personal perception of food temperature

Length of time you wait before eating

Eating speed

Average number of burns to the oral cavity (including mouth and tongue) per month

After adjusting for the effects of age, sex, smoking, and drinking, each of the above "eating while it's hot"-related factors was positively associated with esophageal cancer risk.

What are the symptoms of esophageal cancer?

my country is a country with a high incidence of esophageal cancer, with an average of about 150,000 deaths each year. There are significant geographical differences in the incidence of esophageal cancer in different regions. Esophageal cancer is highly prevalent in my country's Taihang Mountain Area, Dabie Mountain Area, Nanchong and Yanting in Sichuan, and Lin County in Henan, with higher incidence rates in rural areas than in cities.

The disease occurs more frequently in males than in females, and the age of onset is usually over 40 years old.

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There are no obvious symptoms in the early stages of esophageal cancer. Some people may experience choking or foreign body sensation when swallowing food, as well as burning, pricking, or pulling and friction pain behind the sternum.

The typical symptom of esophageal cancer is progressive dysphagia, which first makes it difficult to swallow dry food, then semi-liquid food, and finally water and saliva.

Why are the morbidity and mortality rates so high?

The onset of esophageal cancer is insidious, and most people are already in the middle or late stages when they are diagnosed. The main pathological type of esophageal cancer in China is squamous cell carcinoma, which is often located in the middle part of the esophagus, followed by the lower part, and least in the upper part.

Currently, there is no effective treatment and the prognosis is poor. The 5-year survival rate of esophageal cancer in my country is only 20.9%.

The incidence of esophageal cancer is so high, how can we prevent it?

Who is at high risk of esophageal cancer?

The incidence of esophageal cancer is related to the region, living environment, diet and living habits, education level, occupation and genetic factors. Generally speaking, the following groups are prone to esophageal cancer:

People who are used to eating sauerkraut and pickled food. These foods contain nitrosamine compounds, which are recognized as strong carcinogens worldwide.

Liking to eat hot food and eating too fast can easily irritate the esophageal mucosa and lead to cancer.

People who consume too much smoked food. Smoked fish, meat, sausage and other foods contain harmful substances such as benzopyrene, which increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

People who like to eat rough food, lack of trace elements such as molybdenum, zinc, magnesium, manganese, cobalt, iron, etc., and are malnourished.

People who smoke and drink alcohol for a long time.

How to stay away from esophageal cancer?

1. Develop good eating habits, eat small meals frequently, chew slowly, do not eat overheated food, avoid eating moldy, spoiled rice, noodles, peanuts and other foods and overnight meals, and reduce the intake of stimulating foods such as strong tea, coffee, and spirits.

2. Eat a balanced diet, pay attention to dietary diversity, and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.

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3. Reduce the intake of pickled, smoked and grilled foods.

4. No smoking or drinking, regardless of gender.

5. Popularize cancer prevention knowledge and raise cancer prevention awareness among high-risk groups in high-incidence areas (over 40 years old, from high-incidence areas of esophageal cancer, with a family history of upper gastrointestinal cancer or upper gastrointestinal symptoms, etc.).

How to screen for esophageal cancer early?

Endoscopic examination has become one of the primary screening methods for early esophageal cancer in areas with a high incidence of esophageal cancer.

It mainly includes ordinary electronic endoscopy, iodine-stained endoscopy, ultrasonic endoscopy, magnified electronic endoscopy, etc., and biopsy is performed on the most suspicious areas to confirm the diagnosis.

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Screening, early detection, and early diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer in high-risk groups can significantly reduce the incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer.

Source: Yang Chao, Comprehensive Health Times

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