Epidemic Strength of Cardia Cancer and Stomach Cancer in High Risk Region of Esophageal Cancer and Impl ication for Endoscopic Screening

Objective 　To estimate the epidemic strength of cardia cancer and stomach cancer in the high risk region of esophageal cancer such as She County, so to provide meaningful clues to upper gast rointestinal cancer cont rol in the region. Methods 　By comparisons of the incidence and mortality rates of esophageal cancer, cardia cancer and stomach cancer obtained through population based cancer registry in the adjacent counties of Cixian, Linxian and Shexian of 6233 local resident s aged 40 to 69 years old. Results Esophageal cancer, cardia cancer, and stomach cancer constitute about 70～80 percent of all malignant disease combined by incidence or mortality. The incidence rates for cardia cancer for the male and female from 2000 through 2004 were 69. 9/ 100, 000 and 41. 5/ 100, 000, and the mortality rates were 54. 3/ 100, 000 and 33. 2/ 100, 000 respectively in the Shexian County. Endoscopic survey with iodine staining can effectively detect squamous cell precancerous lesions in the esophagus, but is insufficient for the detection of early carcinoma and precancerous lesions in the cardia and stomach. Conclusion 　The south Taihang mountain region is a high risk area not only for esophagus cancer, but also for cardia cancer and stomach cancer. To cont rol upper gast rointestinal t ract cancer as a whole in the place, special attention should be paid to the cont rol of cardia cancer and stomach cancer by endoscopic screening.