Association of gastroesophageal reflux disease with the incidence of multiple cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Xianhong Jiang, Xin-Hong Shao, Wen-Jie Zhou, Jie Dan, Ming-Jie Zhu, Z. Peng, Yong-Hong Wang

Frontiers in Medicine, 2026

Abstract

Objective To investigate whether gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is associated with an increased incidence of multiple cancers through a robust meta-analysis. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for observational studies published up to July 11, 2025. All statistical analyses were performed using R version 4.5.0. Results A total of 17 studies were included. The pooled results indicated that GERD was significantly associated with an increased risk of lung cancer (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.25–1.42), laryngeal cancer (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.38–2.21), pancreatic cancer (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.12–1.50), and esophageal cancer (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.12–2.57). However, no significant association was found between GERD and colorectal cancer (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.63–1.72). Conclusion This meta-analysis suggests that GERD is associated with an increased incidence of multiple cancers. These findings will contribute to the clinical management of GERD patients, particularly in terms of cancer prevention and early screening.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

• DOI
• PubMed
• Publisher page

Related studies

• Advantages and Disadvantages of Long-term Proton Pump Inhibitor Use Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, 2018
• Ivth brazilian consensus conference on helicobacter pylori infection Arquivos de Gastroenterologia, 2018
• A pSMAD/CDX2 complex is essential for the intestinalization of epithelial metaplasia Cell Reports, 2014
• S2k-Leitlinie Gastroösophageale Refluxkrankheit und eosinophile Ösophagitis der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Gastroenterologie, Verdauungs- und Stoffwechselkrankheiten (DGVS) – März 2023 – AWMF-Registernummer: 021–013 Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie, 2023
• Step-by-step management of refractory gastresophageal reflux disease Diseases of the Esophagus, 2012
• Insights into Effects/Risks of Chronic Hypergastrinemia and Lifelong PPI Treatment in Man Based on Studies of Patients with Zollinger–Ellison Syndrome International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2019

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free