Risk factors related to esophageal cancer in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira (1992) Vol. 44; no. 4; pp. 269 - 272
• Main Authors: Dietz, J, Pardo, S H, Furtado, C D, Harzheim, E, Furtado, A D
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Brazil 01-10-1998
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Brazil - epidemiology; Epidemiologic Factors; Esophageal Neoplasms - epidemiology; Esophageal Neoplasms - etiology; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Brazil
• ISSN: 0104-4230

Rio Grande do Sul, a State in southern Brazil, shows high mortality rates for esophageal cancer. Important geographical variations suggest external factors in the etiology.
The relationship between smoking, alcohol and "mate" to esophageal cancer.
55 patients with esophageal cancer were interviewed, soon after the endoscopy, about risk factors; 110 patients who did not showed esophageal tumor in the endoscopy were the controls.
Among the patients with esophageal cancer there were more farmer-workers (OD 3.3; 95% CI 0.9-11.2), father with antecedent cancer (OD 6.9; 95% CI 1.9-25.6), smoking and ex-smoking (OD 2.5; 95% CI 1.1-5.9), drinkers and ex- of alcohol (OD 5.3; 95% CI 2.6-11.0), drinkers and ex- of "mate" (OD 3.6; 95% CI 1.3-9.8). Others variables more frequent in the cases were: smoking for > 20 years; kind of alcohol (spirits), drinking alcohol every day, drinking "mate" every day and adding salt to food.
Smoking, alcohol, "mate", farmer-workers and antecedent of father with cancer were significantly more frequent in the cases of esophageal cancer than in the controls.