Latest insights into the global epidemiological features, screening, early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Sep 21, 2026

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Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a dominant and highly invasive subtype of esophageal cancer, with incidence and mortality that remain high despite global declines. Because early symptoms are nonspecific, most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, leading to poor survival, especially in many countries including China. This review examines worldwide and China-focused epidemiological patterns and highlights emerging molecular biomarkers enabled by genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics for screening, early diagnosis, and prognosis prediction.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Epidemiology and global cancer burden

Screening and diagnostic challenges

Survival differences by stage

Need for molecular biomarkers

| W | J | G | World Journal of
Gastroenterology | | --- | --- | --- | --- | Submit a Manuscript: [https://www.f6publishing.com](https://www.f6publishing.com) World J Gastroenterol 2024 May 28; 30(20): 2638-2656 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i20.2638 ISSN 1007-9327 (print) ISSN 2219-2840 (online) REVIEW Latest insights into the global epidemiological features, screening, early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma Yi-Xin Zhao, He-Ping Zhao, Meng-Yao Zhao, Yan Yu, Xi Qi, Ji-Han Wang, Jing Lv Specialty type: Gastroenterology and hepatology Provenance and peer review: Invited article; Externally peer reviewed. Peer-review model: Single blind Peer-review report’s classification Scientific Quality: Grade B Novelty: Grade C Creativity or Innovation: Grade C Scientific Significance: Grade C P-Reviewer: Ding W, United States Received: January 23, 2024 Revised: April 26, 2024 Accepted: May 13, 2024 Published online: May 28, 2024 Yi-Xin Zhao, He-Ping Zhao, Meng-Yao Zhao, Yan Yu, Xi Qi, Jing Lv, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi Province, China Ji-Han Wang, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, Shaanxi Province, China Co-first authors: Yi-Xin Zhao and He-Ping Zhao. Corresponding author: Jing Lv, MD, Doctor, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, No. 555 Youyi Dong Road, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi Province, [China.](China. lvjing-1219@163.com)[ lvjing-1219@163.com](China. lvjing-1219@163.com) Abstract As a highly invasive carcinoma, esophageal cancer (EC) was the eighth most prevalent malignancy and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in 2020. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the major histological subtype of EC, and its incidence and mortality rates are decreasing globally. Due to the lack of specific early symptoms, ESCC patients are usually diagnosed with advanced-stage disease with a poor prognosis, and the incidence and mortality rates are still high in many countries, especially in China. Therefore, enormous challenges still exist in the management of ESCC, and novel strategies are urgently needed to further decrease the incidence and mortality rates of ESCC. Although the key molecular mechanisms underlying ESCC pathogenesis have not been fully elucidated, certain promising biomarkers are being investigated to facilitate clinical decision-making. With the advent and advancement of highthroughput technologies, such as genomics, proteomics and metabolomics, valuable biomarkers with high sensitivity, specificity and stability could be identified for ESCC. Herein, we aimed to determine the epidemiological features of ESCC in different regions of the world, especially in China, and focused on novel molecular biomarkers associated with ESCC screening, early diagnosis and prognosis prediction. Key Words: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Epidemiology; Diagnosis; Genomics; Proteomics; Metabolomics WJG [https://www.wjgnet.com](https://www.wjgnet.com) 2638 May 28, 2024 Volume 30 Issue 20 Zhao YX et al. Latest insights into ESCC ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved. Core Tip: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common malignancy with decreasing incidence and mortality rates worldwide; however, it was the eighth most prevalent cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related death in 2020. Various molecular mechanisms have been suggested, and a better understanding of the epidemiology and characteristic biomarkers may facilitate ESCC screening, early diagnosis and prognosis prediction. This review aimed to discuss the epidemiological features, screening, early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of ESCC, with a focus on promising molecular biomarkers, to provide a guide for the development of novel strategies f

FAQs

Why is early diagnosis of ESCC difficult?

ESCC lacks specific early symptoms, so patients are often diagnosed in advanced stages, resulting in poor prognosis.

What was the global cancer burden of esophageal cancer in 2020 according to the review?

In 2020, esophageal cancer was reported as the eighth most prevalent malignancy and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in the cited database.

How do emerging high-throughput technologies support ESCC biomarker discovery?

Advances in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics are used to identify biomarkers with high sensitivity, specificity, and stability to support clinical decision-making.

Sep 21, 2026

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