Concern over ABC1 cancer

Middle aged men are at risk of the cancer

Doctors have called for further research into why an increasing number of middle aged Scottish men have fallen victim to cancer of the oesophagus.

The condition has been referred to as ABC1 cancer because of the high incidence among middle aged, middle class and health conscious men.

Consultant surgeon Grant Fullerton of Gartnavel Hospital, in Glasgow, said a research programme should be set up to establish why men have become so susceptible.

Doctors have expressed concern that by the time they have diagnosed the cancer in patients it has often been too late to introduce an effective treatment.

The difficulty we have at the moment is that when the cancer's diagnosed it's often too late to offer the patient curative treatment

Grant Fullerton, consultant surgeon

They want to see more research which assists doctors in recognising the symptoms at an earlier stage.

Mr Fullerton said: "We've got a major problem in Scotland with the rising incidence of this cancer.

"The difficulty we have at the moment is that when the cancer's diagnosed it's often too late to offer the patient curative treatment.

"The key to success in treatment in the future will be to offer an earlier diagnosis."

Mr Fullerton said the cancer did seem to be more likely to affect the so-called higher socio-economic groups, such as professional people, who have been traditionally thought of as leading a healthier lifestyle.

Better research needed

He said there has been no indication as to why this should be the case.

"Obviously there is lots of conjecture at the moment and it is conjecture, we do need some better research to establish why this should be happening," he said.

Doctors have pointed to a dramatic increase in the incidence of cancer of the oesophagus in the past 20 years, particularly in Scotland.

"Obviously the question arises, could this be a dietary issue?" said Mr Fullerton.

Chronic heartburn

"Is it something different that we are adding to food, for instance? These are all possibilities.

"The other associated factor has been the rising incidence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, which in lay terms is really chronic heartburn, and that seems to be on the rise in modern society.

"Whether or not there's a combination of diet and perhaps stress of modern life which is contributing to this we don't know, but that's the one associated factor.

"That disease certainly seems to be more prominent in the higher socio-economic groups."