Frequent Heartburn May Lead to Throat Cancer

According to a study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention (from American Association for Cancer Research), frequent heartburn was associated with cancers of the throat and vocal cords among nonsmokers and nondrinkers. The study also stated that the use of antacids, but not prescription medications (such as proton pump inhibitors) or home remedies, had a protective effect. "Previous studies examining gastric reflux and cancers of the head and neck have generated mixed results," said Scott M. Langevin, Ph.D., postdoctoral research fellow at Brown University in Providence, R.I. "Most of those studies had either few numbers of cases or they were not adjusted for confounding factors. Ours is a large, population-based study with robust parameters that strongly suggests gastric reflux, which causes frequent heartburn, is an independent risk factor for cancers of the pharynx (throat) and larynx (vocal cord)." All participants completed a questionnaire on their history of heartburn, smoking and drinking habits, family history of cancer and sociodemographic information. Because some head and neck cancers are caused by infection with human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16), the researchers tested for the presence of antigens to HPV 16 viral proteins in the blood of all participants. Langevin and his colleagues found that among participants who were neither heavy smokers nor heavy drinkers, a history of frequent heartburn was linked to a 78 percent increased ...
Source: About Heartburn / Acid Reflux - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news