AECCS was designed to evaluate the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the occurrence of oesophagal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The study recruited participants aged 25 years to 65 years with no history of cancer or contraindications for endoscopy from nine villages in four counties in Anyang province, China. At baseline, over 8,000 participants completed the baseline data collection interview between 2006 and 2009. Participants were followed up at two-year intervals for ten years or until ESCC diagnosis or death, whichever occurred first.