Esophagitis in a population at risk for esophageal carcinoma

A previously unreported high incidence of endoscopically identifiable, diffuse, largely nonulcerative esophagitis, is described in a selected population of Southern African blacks at risk of cancer of the esophagus. This is comparable with findings in similar groups in Iran and China. The incidence of dysplasia and "early" cancer is still undefined in South Africa.