To maintain normal physiological activities of human body, three meals a day seem to be ordinary but essential – however, there is a kind of cancer that does not allow people to “eat well”, which is esophageal cancer. There are many causative factors of esophageal cancer, and there are three main causes of esophageal cancer according to clinical research: i. Genetic factors In regions with high incidence of esophageal cancer, it is common to see families with several generations of esophageal cancer patients. Alcohol consumption and smoking Long-term alcohol consumption, especially strong alcohol, damages and burns the esophageal mucosa greatly, which can easily cause abnormal proliferation of esophageal squamous epithelium or glandular epithelium, thus leading to cancerous changes. Smoking is recognized as an important factor of carcinogenesis. Epidemiological survey and clinical observation found that the main reasons for the high incidence of esophageal cancer in China are alcohol consumption and smoking, which are also the main reasons for the high incidence in men. In regions with high incidence of esophageal cancer in China, such as Northeast China and Shandong, people are used to eating pickled vegetables and pickled foods, which contain nitrosamines, a strong carcinogen recognized worldwide, and some people like to eat hot food and eat too fast, which can easily stimulate the esophageal mucosa and lead to cancer. Doctors’ tips: Quit smoking and limit alcohol, eat less pickled food, control food temperature, chew slowly when eating – to develop reasonable living habits, coupled with regular medical checkups, this is the right way to prevent esophageal cancer.