Esophagus "scalded" by hot food leads to esophageal cancer
[Introduction] When very hot food enters the mouth, it can cause the oral mucosa to become congested, damaging the mucosa and causing ulcers. Data shows that among patients with esophageal cancer, more than 90% usually prefer hot food and hot drinks.
Lao Jin was a man just in his fifties, very strong and healthy, rarely catching even a cold. But last summer, Lao Jin was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He could never have imagined that with such a healthy body, he could develop cancer.
Lying on his hospital bed, Lao Jin kept reviewing his "journey" of illness.
"I usually pay attention to exercise, and I don't smoke or drink heavily. You could say my lifestyle is very healthy." However, when the doctor asked about his eating habits, Lao Jin revealed a common "habit" shared by many esophageal cancer patients: he loved eating very hot food.
People in Guangzhou have the habit of drinking morning tea, but Lao Jin's habit was different; he especially liked it piping hot, the hotter the better. For Lao Jin, having a "heart-warming" cup of morning tea in the morning was simply a pleasure. Hot pot was also Lao Jin's favorite, and he particularly liked eating it very hot; the hotter it was, the more flavorful he found it. These habits had become part of his life, and he never thought they were unhealthy. On the contrary, he felt that hot food was beneficial to his health. It wasn't until last summer that Lao Jin suddenly found it was no longer "smooth" when he ate, always feeling as if something was stuck in his esophagus. Sometimes, even when he swallowed saliva unintentionally, he would feel chest pain.
After an escopy at the hospital, Lao Jin was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. After undergoing a nearly 5-hour surgery, Lao Jin's lesion was completely removed. Although he received effective treatment, Director Yu reminded Lao Jin that prevention is better than treatment, and he should change his unhealthy lifestyle.
Don't let hot food damage your esophagus
Mr. Jin's esophageal cancer is closely related to his lifestyle. In our daily lives, we often come across friends who love to eat hot food. They are fond of hot pot, and whether it's winter or summer, they like to dip various ingredients in the hot pot and then eat them right away. Little do they know that this "hobby" is very unhealthy, not only is it bad for the body, but it also increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer.
The esophagus is the passage for food to travel from the mouth to the stomach. Its wall is made of elastic tissue, composed of the mucosal epithelial layer, submucosal layer, and muscular layer. Through the peristaltic contraction of the soft, elastic esophageal muscles, the food bolus is sent into the stomach. When food is too hot or too rough, it can scald or abrade the esophageal mucosal epithelium as it passes through the esophagus, causing the mucosal epithelium to become damaged, ulcerated, or to bleed. If repeatedly subjected to such adverse stimuli, the mucosal epithelium will develop "atypical" cells with abnormal morphology and function during the repeated process of proliferation and repair. When these abnormal cells accumulate, they will gradually undergo malignant transformation, leading to protrusions, hyperplasia, ulcers, and bleeding on the surface of the esophageal mucosal epithelium. As the cancerous lesion continues to develop, the cancerous tissue expands and gradually grows into the middle of the esophageal wall.
Very hot food entering the mouth can cause the oral mucosa to become congested, damaging the mucosa and causing ulcers. Data shows that among patients with esophageal cancer, more than 90% usually prefer hot food and hot drinks. The average temperature of the food or drinks consumed by these people is 71°C~74°C, with some reaching up to 88°C. According to experiments, when consuming food or drinks around 75°C, the esophageal epithelium will react; at around 80°C, necrosis and atypical hyperplasia of the esophageal mucosal epithelium will occur. If one consumes very hot food once a day for 25 consecutive days, atypical hyperplasia of the esophageal mucosal epithelium will appear. Severe hyperplasia is a precancerous condition.
Three early signs of esophageal cancer
Slow retention or a slight sensation of obstruction when swallowing food. In the early stages, this symptom is extremely mild, does not hinder eating, and can subside on its own, but it reappears after a few days. If it occurs repeatedly and gradually worsens, it should be taken very seriously.
Pain when swallowing. When swallowing saliva or food, there is a constant, localized pain behind the sternum. This sensation gradually disappears after swallowing. The location of the pain can sometimes be quite vague, and about 40% of patients have varying degrees of this pain symptom.
A feeling of a foreign body in the esophagus. A feeling that food particles or vegetable debris are stuck to the esophageal wall. About 10% of patients have experienced this symptom in the early stages. This is caused by swelling of the esophageal mucosal folds, local congestion, thickening of the epithelium, or roughness.