The goal of the symposium is to examine the state of the science on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with regard to etiology, genetic risk factors, early detection and treatment, and palliative care, and to identify gaps in our understanding and the related critical research questions.
ESCC makes up the vast majority of esophageal cancer cases worldwide. The geographic distribution is extraordinarily uneven, with high incidence regions stretching across central Asia from China to Iran, from eastern to southern Africa, and parts of South America.