Abstract: Objective To investigate the incidence and risk factors of upper gastrointestinal cancer in rural residents of Fengyang County, and to provide a reference basis for the development of prevention and control strategies for upper gastrointestinal cancer in Fengyang County. Methods This study employed a multi-stage stratified sampling method, conducting preliminary examinations, laboratory tests, and questionnaires on the rural residents aged 18 and above in 25 rural communities of Fengyang County, Anhui Province, from January 2020 to December 2022. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the incidence of upper gastrointestinal cancer in rural residents of Fengyang County, and Logistic regression models were used to analyze the risk factors of upper gastrointestinal cancer. Results A total of 4 532 permanent rural residents in Fengyang County completed electronic gastroscopy and pathological biopsy of suspicious lesions, identifying 81 cases of upper gastrointestinal cancer, with a detection rate of 1.79% (81/4 532). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that education level (below high school OR=2.937, high school OR=2.206), smoking (OR=3.379), excessive drinking (OR=2.165), preference for pickled foods (OR=3.263), drinking tea (OR=0.519), preference for fried bean products (OR=1.689), atrophic gastritis (OR=2.337), and Helicobacter pylori positivity (OR=1.910) were influencing factors for upper gastrointestinal cancer in rural residents of Fengyang County. Conclusions The incidence of upper gastrointestinal cancer in rural residents of Fengyang County, Anhui Province, is relatively high. It is necessary to strengthen early screening and regular physical examinations for high-risk groups with poor dietary and drinking habits, combined with atrophic gastritis, and Helicobacter pylori infection, to achieve early diagnosis and intervention of upper gastrointestinal cancer.

Key words: Upper gastrointestinal cancer, Rural residents, Epidemiological characteristics, Influencing factor