Background & Objectives: According to a recent report published by the ministry of health, Esophageal cancer is the second most common fatal cancer in Ardabil. This study investigated the relationship between anatomical sites and pathological features of Esophagus cancer with related risk factors.

  Methods: This descriptive-cross-secional and prospective study was conducted on patients referring to GI clinic of Ardabil (Aras) between 2000-2003. Patients with suspicious upper GI symptoms underwent upper GI vide-endoscopy. At least five to six endoscopic punch biopsies were obtained from all the lesions and sent for pathology. Diagnosis was confirmed by pathology. Anatomical sites, demographic information of the patients (age, sex, educational state, residential area) smoking habit, alcohol and opium consumption were entered into the questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using the EPI 2000 statistical software.

 Results: The mean age of the patients with cancer was 59 ± 11.64 years and the male to female ratio was 1:1. Villagers constituted 117 (77%) of the patients. 93.4% of these patients were illiterate. The cancers were of the following types: 126 (82.9%) SCC, 25 (16.4%) adenocarcinoma and 1(0.7%) in situ carcinoma. The most common site of esophageal SCC cancer was middle third of esophagus with 73 (48%) patients. In contrast the most common site of adenocarcinoma in 31 (20%) patients was lower third of esophagus. No meaningful relationship was found between esophageal cancer and smoking drinking or opium consumption.

  Conclusion: The findings indicated that unlikewestern countries esophagus cancer had no relationship with smoking or alcohol consumption in Ardabil. Other studies are recommended to be performed to find out more about relationship between known esophageal risk factors including nutritional habits, nitrosamines, soil contents, agricultural products and genetic background.