Difference between urban and rural regions in Japan in estimated risk of esophageal cancer based on a health risk appraisal model that includes an alcohol flushing questionnaire

Background Many environmental and genetic factors are presumed to be involved in the etiology of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We developed a health risk appraisal model that includes an alcohol flushing questionnaire (HRA-F) to estimate the ESCC risk. The purpose of this study was to use the HRA-F model to assess regional differences in the ESCC risk between rural and urban regions in Japan.