Cohort study of association between gastroesophageal reflux disease and risk of malignancies

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a known risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma. A cohort study in South Korea examined the association between GERD and other malignancies. The study included GERD patients matched 1:3 by age and sex to non-GERD individuals. GERD was associated with increased risk of esophageal and laryngeal cancers. For thyroid cancer the association became insignificant after controlling for having ever-received thyroid biopsy procedures. GERD was associated with reduced risk of colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancer, which might have resulted from differences in health care utilization between GERD and non-GERD groups.