Hot Kung Fu tea, steaming hot pot, dumplings and Wonton just out of the pot, fried food rolling in the oil pan... Many people believe that hot food is standard in cold winter, and eating hot food can also nourish the stomach. Little do they know, long-term consumption of food that is too hot can pose health risks. Recently, the topic of "Doctors examined 11 people in one morning and all were diagnosed with esophageal cancer" has gone viral, attracting attention from netizens. Is esophageal cancer caused by scalding? How hot is considered hot food? How to distinguish between esophageal cancer and pharyngitis? What symptoms should I seek medical attention promptly? Wu Minghao, Director and Chief Physician of the Digestive Department of Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, provided a detailed explanation. Behind the love for hot food lies a hidden health hazard. Recently, endoscopists at a cancer hospital in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, are conducting routine ultrasound endoscopic examinations. Surprisingly, all 11 patients examined in the morning were diagnosed with advanced esophageal cancer! After inquiry, these people all have a habit - they like to eat hot food. Mr. Wang, who doesn't smoke, drink alcohol, or chew betel nut, at the age of 46, never expected that he would be diagnosed with esophageal cancer despite being relatively young. During the doctor's inquiry, it was found that Mr. Wang had been fond of drinking hot tea for 20 years. He believed that "drinking hot water is good for the body" and "he had never eaten anything cold". However, he unexpectedly contracted cancer. Ms. Li, 57 years old, was found to have suspicious lesions on her esophagus during a physical examination. She went to the hospital for examination and was diagnosed with early esophageal cancer. At the same time, she was also diagnosed with chronic gastritis and gastric polyps. Originally, Ms. Li believed that "eating hot food nourishes the stomach", drinking water requires burning teeth, and eating requires burning a burner. She has persisted for 20-30 years. According to data from the World Health Organization, esophageal cancer is one of the top ten cancers worldwide, with over 600000 new cases of esophageal cancer reported annually. Due to its strong concealment, early symptoms are usually not obvious, and most patients are diagnosed in the middle to late stages. Wu Minghao stated that there are various causes of esophageal cancer. From external factors, patients often have the following characteristics: liking to consume pickled foods, eating at a fast pace, liking to eat hot foods, preferring spicy foods, and being addicted to alcohol. From an internal perspective, in addition to genetic factors, oral infections, bacterial infections, and weakened immune system function may also lead to the occurrence of esophageal cancer. Related studies have shown that people who habitually eat hot and fast food have a nearly four fold increased risk of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared to those who eat at moderate temperatures and chew slowly. The suitable eating temperature is between 10 ℃ and 40 ℃. Traditional Chinese cuisine is almost dominated by hot food, and it is rare to see completely cold Chinese meals. Many foods only show their beauty in color, aroma, and taste when they are hot. For example, steaming fish, hot food is more fragrant and delicious, while cold food only smells of its fishy smell; Barbecue can particularly reflect the aroma and taste of hot food. Hot food can enhance appetite, promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, increase the secretion of digestive juices, make people excited, and facilitate the digestion and absorption of food. However, hot food does not mean "scalded food". When food is overheated, it may only feel scalded rather than fragrant. The human mouth and esophagus have a certain tolerance to temperature. No matter how cold it is, don't eat anything too hot. ”Wu Minghao explained that the esophagus is an organ that connects the throat and stomach, and it is particularly insensitive to temperature. Therefore, many people feel that their mouth is hot or even their tongue is blistered when eating hot food, but they do not feel any discomfort in the esophagus or stomach. Normally, the temperature of the oral cavity and esophagus is between 36.5 ℃ and 37.2 ℃. The appropriate eating temperature is between 10 ℃ and 40 ℃, and the maximum tolerable temperature is between 50 ℃ and 60 ℃. Exceeding this temperature can easily cause burns. When excessively hot food passes through the esophagus, it is easy to burn the esophageal mucosal epithelium and cause damage. If it is only a minor damage, it will heal quickly on its own like a skin abrasion. If one eats excessively hot food for a long time, the surface layer of the burned esophageal mucosa will fall off and renew, and the basal cells will rapidly proliferate, renew, and replenish. Persistent inflammatory stimulation can lead to excessive repair, and the thicker the mucosa, the less sensitive it is to thermal stimulation. This gives the impression that the more one eats, the less afraid of heat, and gradually develops from superficial inflammation and ulcers to malignant hyperplasia, ultimately forming lesions. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization has classified hot drinks above 65 ° C as Group 2A carcinogens in its published list of carcinogens, indicating that they are likely to be carcinogenic to humans. Wu Minghao suggests that in addition to eating at high temperatures, one should also stay away from the following dietary habits: heavy taste, love to eat pickled vegetables, which contain nitrite, and long-term consumption can increase the risk of esophageal cancer; Devouring food is not conducive to digestion and can easily burn the esophagus. Swallowing food without sufficient chewing may also scratch the esophageal mucosa, which increases the risk of esophageal cancer in the long run; Uncontrolled smoking and drinking are also important causes of esophageal cancer. Excessive drinking can damage the esophageal mucosa, and long-term alcoholics have a significantly increased risk of developing esophageal cancer. Do not mistake it for pharyngitis, as these signals cannot ignore the fact that the onset sites and symptoms of esophageal cancer and pharyngitis are sometimes similar, including difficulty swallowing and foreign body sensation. In daily life, these two diseases can be distinguished by several aspects: foreign body sensation in the esophagus: foreign body sensation in chronic pharyngitis is more obvious in a quiet state, and there is no obvious obstruction when eating. The foreign body sensation of esophageal cancer usually occurs when swallowing food, accompanied by symptoms such as pain and burning sensation behind the sternum. Dysphagia gradually worsens, starting with difficulty swallowing solid foods, followed by semi liquid and liquid foods, and finally difficulty drinking water. Accompanying symptoms: The main symptoms of chronic pharyngitis include discomfort, dryness, itching, burning sensation, and bloating in the throat, sometimes accompanied by compression behind the sternum and belching. Esophageal cancer is often accompanied by pain behind the sternum or in the esophagus, manifested as a burning sensation, bloating sensation, needle pricking sensation, etc. Inducing factors: Chronic pharyngitis may be caused by climate change, dietary stimulation, systemic diseases, and other factors. Esophageal cancer is mostly the result of long-term accumulation. Medication effect: Chronic pharyngitis patients may experience some relief in symptoms when using anti-inflammatory and throat stimulating drugs. Esophageal cancer patients usually do not show significant therapeutic effects when using these drugs, and further auxiliary examinations are needed to confirm the diagnosis. Early symptoms of esophageal cancer are often not obvious and are easily overlooked. ”Wu Minghao stated that if the following symptoms occur, timely medical attention should be sought: choking sensation when swallowing food, pain or discomfort behind the sternum, slow and lingering food passage, dryness and tightness in the throat, unexplained weight loss, etc. In daily life, avoid these "eating while hot" Wu Minghao reminds us to be alert to some "eating while hot" in daily life: hot soup and Congee, with high temperature inside; Boiling hotpot, Spicy Hot Pot, and food taken from boiling hot soup should not be eaten immediately; Freshly brewed hot tea, hot coffee, especially when using a thermos or thermos to maintain high temperature for a long time to drink; Fresh baked sweet potatoes, Xiaolongbao, etc., with high internal filling temperature, are easily ignored; Habitually 'blow twice and swallow', the temperature at the center of the food is much higher than the perceived surface temperature. To avoid eating too hot, try the following two methods: air dry: after the food is taken out of the pot, put it aside, air dry it before serving it on the table; When eating, take a sip with your lips, try it out, feel it's not too hot before eating; When eating hotpot, put it in the dipping bowl for a while, or prepare an empty plate, take out the food and let it sit for a while before eating; For people who don't like to drink cold water, prepare a constant temperature kettle with water temperature controlled between 40 ℃ and 45 ℃. Chewing: Eating quickly without sufficient chewing can easily lead to damage to the esophageal mucosal epithelium, causing inflammation, increasing the risk of cancer, and swallowing high temperature food indiscriminately. Therefore, when eating, it is advisable to chew slowly and thoroughly. Chewing a bite of rice 15 to 20 times is better. (New Society)