Most People With Acid Reflux Do Not Face Higher Cancer Risk, Study Finds

A new study finds that while chronic acid reflux is a known risk factor for esophageal cancer, the majority of reflux patients do not face higher odds of developing the disease. The researchers discovered that cancer risk was only elevated in participants with esophagitis, a condition that causes inflammatory changes in the mucosa, or lining of the esophagus.

The first author of the study expressed that this is a gratifying result, as reflux disease is a very common condition, and most patients are found to have a completely normal mucous membrane during gastroscopic examinations. The findings are based on health data from more than 285,000 people with reflux disease who showed no evidence of damage over 31 years of monitoring.

Their cancer risk was compared to the general population, and no increased risk of esophageal cancer was observed in those with a normal mucous membrane. The researchers stated that the next step will be to identify what factors, other than esophagitis, may be linked to tumor growth in reflux patients.