Figures from the Cancer Research UK show that the cancers of the food pipe in Britain have doubled in men over 25 years. However, during the same time- 1983 to 2007- cases in women only went up by 8 percent.

Researchers said that the gender contrast in the cancer of the food pipe rates could be greatly understood by the way men out weight on – as “beer bellies” – as well as genetic differences.

Men also tend to have poorer and unhealthier diets, consuming more fatty foods and lower amounts of fruit and vegetables.

Professor Janusz Jankowski Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry said, “Being overweight significantly increases the risk. One basic issue is that men's diets are worse than women's. They tend to eat more fatty foods and less fruit and veg. Both of those things increase reflux disease, where acid comes up from the stomach.”

“These new figures are particularly concerning as oesophageal cancer is a very difficult cancer to treat,” said Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK.