Figure 2.

Alterations in autophagy in response esophageal cancer-associated factors. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) occurs in the proximal portion of the esophagus as esophageal keratinocytes undergo malignant transformation. The schematic above the dotted line depicts how the listed cellular and environmental factors have been demonstrated to impact autophagy in ESCC as well as the effects of autophagy activation and inhibition upon ESCC cells. Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) occurs in the distal portion of the esophagus as esophageal epithelium is displaced by a specialized intestinal metaplasia, Barrett’s esophagus (BE), in response to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The schematic below the dotted line depicts how bile/acid reflux impacts autophagy in the early premalignant states of GERD and BE as well as in dysplastic BE and EAC.