Acid Reflux to Esophageal Cancer Mechanism, Revealed

According to a new study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, a particular enzyme called NOX5-S is significantly higher in cancer cells that have been exposed to acid, leading to the overproduction of hydrogen peroxide: a possible explanation for how acid reflux may lead to cancer of the esophagus.

For the first time, researchers led by senior author Weibiao Cao (a researcher at Rhode Island Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine and surgery at Brown Medical School) have outlined the signaling pathway from cells damaged by acid, to the progression of esophageal cancer.

The researchers believe that this very same process can possibly happen in the body when cells are exposed to acid reflux.

“The role of acid is controversial. But we show that by exposing cells to acid for short periods of time, that affects a particular enzyme, triggering a chain of events that possibly leads to cancer of the esophagus.

Now that we have a better understanding of the signaling pathway, we can possibly identify who is at risk of developing cancer by determining the levels of this enzyme,” says senior author Weibiao Cao, a researcher at Rhode Island Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine and surgery at Brown Medical School.

Acid reflux has been known to be a major risk factor for cancer in people with Barrett’s esophagus.

Read more at Science Daily.