Risk Factors
Factors that may increase your chance of esophageal cancer include:
- Age: 60 or older
- Sex: male
- Smoking or smokeless tobacco use (such as chewing tobacco or snuff)
- Alcohol use
- History of gastroesophageal reflux , especially if this has caused Barrett's esophagus
- Achalasia (chronic dilation of the esophagus)
- Infection with Helicobacter pylori (causes stomach ulcers )
- Certain rare genetic conditions such as Plummer Vinson syndrome and tylosis
- Damaged esophagus from toxic substances, such as lye
- History of cancer of the head and/or neck
- Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection
- Alendronate (Fosamax) (rare) *¹
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