Reflux “increases risk of adenocarcinoma of oesophagus”

Chronic heartburn can greatly increase a person's risk of developing adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus, according to a new study that adds strong epidemiological support to a widely held assumption.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (1999;340:825-31), found that the risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma was almost eight times higher among people in whom heartburn, regurgitation, or both occurred at least once a week than among people without these …