Key Points
Prevention of both tobacco use and heavy alcohol consumption are key factors in primary prevention of cancer of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Consumption of fruits and vegetables is lower than optimal in the United States, and increased consumption of these foods has beneficial effects on the prevention of esophageal and stomach cancers as well as other major chronic diseases.
Specific micronutrients or combinations of micronutrients may be effective in the prevention of upper GI tract cancers, but this has not yet been firmly established in randomized controlled trials.
Helicobacter pylori is a gastric carcinogen. A relatively small proportion of persons infected with H. pylori are ultimately diagnosed with gastric cancer; therefore, an understanding of the cofactors in this process is an important area of research.
Barrett’s esophagus is believed to be a premalignant lesion for esophageal adenocarcinoma. Obesity, as determined by elevated body mass index, is also associated with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, the rates of which are increasing in the United States.