Oesophagael Cancer Link

We're being warned about the link between heartburn and cancer of the oesophagus ahead of a Holyrood debate.

MSPs will meet today to discuss oesophageal cancer in a bid to increase public awareness. Approximately 1, 000 people are diagnosed with it every year in Scotland and only 15% of them will survive more than five years.

Oesophageal cancer (cancer of the gullet or food pipe) is the eighth most common cancer in Scotland yet few people have even heard of it. One of the most common, yet routinely, ignored symptoms of the condition is Heartburn and problems are being caused by people’s over reliance on ‘over the counter’ remedies rather for it rather seeking proper medical diagnoses. The easy availability of over the counter remedies for heartburn and dyspepsia can provide a false sense of security that these symptoms are minor and easily treated. The truth is very different.

Persistent or regular heartburn can change the cells in the lining of the oesophagus becoming Barrett’s Oesophagus, a cancer precursor affecting approximately 7% of the population of Scotland, over 400,000 people. Those diagnosed with Barrett’s Oesophagus are around 30 times more likely to go on to develop oesophageal cancer compared to non-Barrett’s patients. Evidence suggests this incidence has increased significantly over the past 10 to 20 years and that almost 25% of Barrett’s Oesophagus patients will die of oesophageal cancer. The west of Scotland already has some of the highest rates of the disease in Europe.

OCHRE is working with partners across the UK to take action against heartburn. This year it agreed to fund specialist research at Queen’s University Belfast to explore blood biomarkers associated with oesophageal cancer risk and early diagnosis. This is not a cancer with many positive outcomes but it may be preventable and with more people seeking a diagnosis for their heartburn we hope there will be more survivors’ stories to share in future.

Allan Lapsley, Ochre Chairman and a survivor of Oesophageal cancer said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Parliament will today discuss this frightening cancer. For too long Scotland has focussed on the ‘Big Four’ cancers at the expense of many lives which could be saved if we had invested more widely in awareness and early diagnosis of conditions like oesophageal cancer.

The fact that it is increasing in prevalence and that so many people are unaware that self-treating with heartburn remedies could be dangerous is costing Scotland hundreds of lives annually. We welcome meaningful discussion between our MSPs and hope that this will lead to a new dialogue on why Scotland has around 1000 cases of oesophageal cancer per year. Survival is poor with only 15% of those diagnosed surviving after five years. This is because it is so often diagnosed too late for the patient to be considered for potentially curative treatment like surgery.

If this is to change we need to raise public awareness of the warning signs and especially encourage those who frequently experience heartburn to make a doctor’s appointment, not a trip to the chemist. It may just save their lives.’