Statistics for Esophageal Cancer

You might be tempted to use statistics to try to figure out your chance of getting cancer or of being cured. Remember that this data shows what happens with large groups of people. Because no two people are alike, this information can't be used to know or predict what will happen to you.

These are 2012 statistics about esophageal cancer from the American Cancer Society:

• About 17,460 people will be told they have esophageal cancer this year.

• About 15,070 Americans will die of esophageal cancer this year. Because the cancer is usually found at an advanced stage, most people who have it will die of it.

• An advanced stage of the cancer means it has spread to places far from the esophagus. And that makes it harder to treat.

• Men are about three to four times more likely to get esophageal cancer than women.