MedWire News: People who are obese have an increased risk of oesophageal cancer, and the presence of stomach acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn increases this risk much more, researchers have found.

Dr David Whiteman, from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia, and team explain that people who are obese or overweight have an increased risk of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms.

They add that, in turn, a number of studies have shown people who suffer from regular gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms have an increased risk of oesophageal cancer.

To investigate the risk of oesophageal cancer associated with obesity and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, both alone and in combination, the researchers studied 793 patients with oesophageal cancer and 1580 members of the general public.

The team found that, overall, people who were obese had a greater risk of oesophageal cancer than their normal weight counterparts. Indeed, compared with people of normal weight, severely obese people were six times more likely to develop oesophageal cancer.

The risk of oesophageal cancer was significantly higher among obese men than obese women.

Further analysis revealed that, compared with the general public, obese people with frequent reflux symptoms were 16 times more likely to develop oesophageal cancer, while obese people without reflux symptoms had a two-fold increased risk of the condition.

People of normal weight who suffered from frequent reflux symptoms were over five times more likely to develop oesophageal cancer than the general population.

Dr Whiteman and colleagues conclude in the journal Gut: "Obesity increases the risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma [cancer] independently of other factors, particularly among men."

They add: "These data suggest that patients with obesity and frequent symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux are at especially increased risk of adenocarcinoma."