Esophageal cancer incidence worldwide
Globally, 572,000 people were newly diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2018, while an additional 509,000 people died from esophageal cancer. Esophageal cancer ranked seventh in the number of new cases and sixth in the number of deaths among all tumors.
There are significant geographic differences in the occurrence of esophageal cancer, with it being most common in East Asia and relatively uncommon in developed countries such as Europe and the United States.
The most recent data from 2018 show that Japan has about 460,000 esophageal cancer cases and 410,000 deaths per year; South Korea has about 450,000 cases and 400,000 deaths per year.
Gender-wise, esophageal cancer is predominantly male worldwide, with men being two to three times more likely than women.
Esophageal cancer incidence in China
China is the leading country for the incidence of esophageal cancer. According to real-time data from the World Health Organization (WHO), China has the fifth highest prevalence and mortality rate of esophageal cancer in the world; due to its large population base, China accounts for about 55% of the cases and deaths from esophageal cancer worldwide.
Specifically, in 2018, China has the sixth highest incidence of esophageal cancer with an estimated 307,000 new cases and the fourth highest number of deaths with an estimated 283,000.
In terms of age of onset, 60 to 75 years old is the high incidence of esophageal cancer, accounting for more than 50% of overall esophageal cancer, followed by 45 to 60 years old, and very rare under 30 years old.
Another study showed that the incidence of esophageal cancer was at a low level before age 40; it began to rise rapidly after age 40. In addition to urban men, the incidence of esophageal cancer peaked in the 80-year-old age group for both urban women and the rural population as a whole, and declined after age 85.
By gender, men have far more incidences than women, 214,000 and 93,000, respectively, and more patients die in men (198,000) than in women (85,000). Esophageal cancer has become the fifth most prevalent tumor and the fourth most deadly tumor in men in China.
The difference in incidence between men and women may be related to the fact that men smoke more often, drink more alcohol, and pay less attention to a healthy diet.
