Many causes of esophageal cancer remain unknown to scientists. However, the following risk factors have been associated with the condition:

• Sex. Men are three times more likely to develop esophageal cancer than women, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
  
  
• Age. The risk of being diagnosed with esophageal cancer grows as a person ages. Most people with the disease are between ages 55 and 85, with nearly half of diagnosed cases occurring in individuals over the age of 70.
  
  
• Race and ethnicity. Esophageal cancer is 50 percent more likely to develop in African-Americans. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of cancer to occur in African-Americans while adenocarcinoma is the most common form in whites.
  
  
• Heavy alcohol consumption. In Western nations, heavy drinking is the chief source of the majority of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas. Chronic alcohol abuse irritates the lining of the esophagus, which leads to inflammation and potentially malignant changes in the cells.
  
  
• Tobacco use. Smoking of any kind and chewing tobacco increase the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. risk factors increase over time and rise substantially for people who both drink and smoke.
  
  
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This condition occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter consistently relaxes abnormally or weakens, which allows caustic stomach acids to back up into the esophagus and cause heartburn. This can lead to Barrett’s esophagus, a condition in which abnormal cells similar to the stomach’s glandular cells develop in the lower esophagus. Such cells have a high potential for malignancy, and reflux is the most common cause of esophageal adenocarcinomas. Reflux problems are associated with smoking, obesity and high-sodium diets.
  
  
• Diet. Eating too few fruits and vegetables may contribute to esophageal cancer, especially in diets lacking vitamins A, C, B1 (riboflavin), beta carotene and the mineral selenium. In particular, low levels of selenium have been associated with elevated risk of Barrett’s esophagus. On the other hand, high levels of selenium can be toxic, so it is best to get selenium from foods such as fish, whole-grain bread, Brazil nuts and walnuts. Frequent ingestion of very hot liquids also may raise the risk of esophageal cancer.
  
  
• obesity. People who weigh 20 to 30 pounds more than their ideal weight are at higher risk for adenocarcinoma. Obesity in men increases the risk of dying from this disease by approximately 50 percent.
  
   
• Exposure to silica dust. A primary component of sandstone and granite, silica dust has been linked with an increased risk of esophageal cancer. Miners, construction workers and people working in the pressurized spaces, such as building tunnels, are most at risk.
  
  
• Achalasia. Disorder in which food collects at the bottom of the esophagus due to an inability of the esophagus to move food along or because the lower esophageal sphincter does not properly relax to allow food into the stomach. For reasons that remain unclear, achalasia appears to increase the risk of cancer. About 6 percent of patients with achalasia develop squamous cell-type esophageal cancer, according to the ACS.
  
  
• Esophageal webs. Abnormal protrusions of thin tissue in the esophagus. Some cause no symptoms, but others can make swallowing difficult. About 10 percent of patients with this condition will develop esophageal cancer.
  
  
• Tylosis. A rare, inherited disorder that causes excess skin formation on the soles and palms. Scientists believe a genetic defect is responsible for both tylosis and esophageal cancer. People with tylosis have a 40 percent risk of developing esophageal cancer, according to the ACS.
  
  
• Lye ingestion. Lye is a chemical found in industrial and household cleaners, such as drain openers. It is corrosive and destroys cells. Children who accidentally swallow cleaners with lye have a higher chance of developing esophageal cancer as an adult. Cancer typically occurs about 40 years after ingestion.
  
  
• Radiation therapy. A link has been established between breast cancer radiation treatments following mastectomy and a moderately increased risk of esophageal cancer. The risk is greatest 10 to 15 years after treatment. The increased risk does not appear to apply to women who have had a lumpectomy and radiation.