71 - Cancer of gullet
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 April 2023
Summary
This is a subcategory of All cancer deaths (see Map 7). Cancer of gullet is also known as oesophageal cancer.
See also Map 60 Cancer of the mouth, and Map 65 Laryngeal cancer.
There is an east–west divide across England and Wales, with the north west and the West Midlands having higher rates than the remainder of England and almost all of Wales. The highest rates are found in Scotland, probably partly reflecting the higher smoking and drinking rates there for the population in the past.
The gullet, also known as the oesophagus or foodpipe, is a tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. A tumour in the gullet can lead to difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) and pain when swallowing (odynophagia). Smaller tumours can be removed by surgery whereas larger ones are not curable.
Increased risk of cancer of the gullet has been found to be linked to factors such as heredity, tobacco smoking, alcohol, gastroesophageal reflux disease, human papillomavirus and obesity.
A chain smoker both on and off screen, Humphrey Bogart died from oesophageal cancer.
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- Information
- The Grim Reaper's Road MapAn Atlas of Mortality in Britain, pp. 144 - 145Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2008