Gastric and Esophageal Cancer Research in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch

Gastric and esophageal cancers are the 2nd and 6th most common causes of cancer death in the world, respectively, and together they kill over 1 million people each year. DCEG investigators' participation in UGI cancer research began with the Nutrition Intervention Trials (1985-1991) in Linxian, China, two randomized multivitamin/mineral supplementation trials in a population with some of the highest rates of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and gastric cardia cancer in the world.  DCEG investigators have since expanded their research to include:

• Etiologic studies of ESCC (focused on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure) and gastric cancer (focused on the effects of H. pylori and gut hormones) 
• Etiological studies of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus
• Genetic studies (including genome-wide association studies) of esophageal and gastric cancer 
• Development of an endoscopic early detection and treatment program for esophageal squamous dysplasia, the precursor of ESCC, which is now used to screen 100,000 adults in China each year

Selected studies include:

• Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Consortium (BEACON)
• Gastric and Esophageal Malignancies in Northern Iran (GEMINI)
• Golestan Cohort Study
• Nutrition Intervention Trials in Linxian, China
• African Esophageal Cancer Consortium (AfrECC)