Cancer Type in Men Up 350%, Study Says

One type of cancer of the esophagus has increased more than 350% among white men in the last 20 years, and researchers say the reasons may include smoking and an increase in obesity. The study, published in the journal Cancer, reported that annual cases of adenocarcinoma rose from 0.7 cases per 100,000 in 1974-76 to 3.2 cases per 100,000 in 1992-94. Nearly 90% of patients with esophageal cancer die within five years of contracting the disease. The study, based on existing national data, was conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute and the International Epidemiology Institute.