According to the American Cancer Society, during 2002 an estimated 13,100 new cases of esophageal cancer were diagnosed and approximately 12,600 patients died from the disease. Significantly, a growing amount of evidence has indicated an increased risk of esophageal cancer in individuals with a history of recurring heartburn. Although a relatively rare form of cancer, esophageal cancer has a high fatality rate, and treatment should begin immediately upon diagnosis. As with all cancers, esophageal cancer is caused by an abnormal proliferation of cells. The two types of esophageal cancer, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, are named after the specific esophageal cells which grow irregularly. Squamous cell carcinoma is more common in the upper and middle parts of the esophagus, where there is a high concentration of squamous cells, while adenocarcinoma occurs in the lower section of the esophagus, in the secretory/glandular cells.
