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Inflammation, Obesity, Barrett’s Esophagus, and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

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Obesity, Inflammation and Cancer

Part of the book series: Energy Balance and Cancer ((EBAC,volume 7))

Abstract

Esophageal adenocarcinoma arising in metaplastic Barrett’s esophagus is one of the most rapidly increasing cancers in Western countries. Accumulating epidemiological evidence provides support that both chronic reflux injury and being overweight are strongly associated with the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. It is proposed that being overweight could contribute to increased predisposition to reflux by mechanically disrupting the physiological mechanisms that prevent reflux injury to the esophagus. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations also provide a link between being overweight to the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma through increased loco-systemic injury response and metabolic syndrome. Together these observations provide the basis for the hypothesis that being overweight could be a key early trigger for the initiation and an ongoing stimulus for the progression of esophageal adenocarcinoma. In this chapter we will summarize the existing data that supports this hypothesis and discuss ongoing and future investigations to address this hypothesis that links obesity to risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Anamay Sharma M.D., Ahmed Elebiary M.D., Sonia Chowdhury M.D. & Navtej Buttar M.D.

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  1. Anamay Sharma M.D.
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  2. Ahmed Elebiary M.D.
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  3. Sonia Chowdhury M.D.
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  4. Navtej Buttar M.D.
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Correspondence to Navtej Buttar M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 525 E. 68th St. Room F-206, New York, 10065, New York, USA

    Andrew J. Dannenberg

  2. School of Medicine, Center for Science, Health & Society, Case Western Reserve University, Euclid Ave. 10900, Cleveland, 44106, Ohio, USA

    Nathan A. Berger

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Sharma, A., Elebiary, A., Chowdhury, S., Buttar, N. (2013). Inflammation, Obesity, Barrett’s Esophagus, and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma. In: Dannenberg, A., Berger, N. (eds) Obesity, Inflammation and Cancer. Energy Balance and Cancer, vol 7. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6819-6_6

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