Figure 6.

Graphical Abstract. Esophageal cancer diagnosed at median age of 68 and is considered a disease of the elderly. In this large series of patients with esophageal cancer from the National Cancer Database (2004–2015), although clinicopathologic similarities suggest similar tumor biology between age groups, the youngest age quartile had the highest rate of distant disease at diagnosis (34% versus 29.9, 26.8 and 23.1%, respectively with increasing age group). Risk factors, such as obesity and prolonged history of reflux, should dictate evaluation of esophageal cancer rather than age.