Chronic alcohol exposure commonly causes gastritis and esophagitis. Which biological process links chronic mucosal inflammation to increased cancer risk in these tissues?

• A. Transient inflammation accelerates mucosal healing in a way that eliminates stem cell proliferation and therefore reduces long-term mutation rates and cancer risk.
• B. Chronic alcohol-related inflammation permanently increases the pH of the stomach to extremely alkaline levels which directly converts normal squamous mucosa into pancreatic tissue that becomes cancerous.
• C. Persistent inflammation leads to increased cell turnover, production of reactive oxygen species and DNA damage, and promotion of dysplasia and eventual malignant transformation over time.
• D. Inflammation causes immediate necrosis of all epithelial cells which prevents any possibility of dysplasia or carcinoma forming because there are no surviving cells to undergo malignant transformation.

Answer: (C)