The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation

Q:  What is Barrett’s esophagus?

A: Barrett’s esophagus is a pre-cancerous condition within the lining of the esophagus, the food tube which leads to the stomach.

Q: How is Barrett’s esophagus caused?

A: Barrett’s esophagus is caused when the cells in the esophagus are damaged due to long-term exposure to GERD or acids reflux.   GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) occurs when fluid and foods splash up into the esophagus.  This occurs because the esophageal sphincter is weakened and allows acids and fluids from the stomach to escape into the esophagus.  The stomach acid damages the cells in the esophagus which can become abnormal overtime.

Q: How is Barrett’s esophagus diagnosed?

A: Barrett’s esophagus is diagnosed when a physician performs an upper endoscopy.  An endoscopy is when the physician places a think flexible tube down the mouth into the esophagus.

The physician examines the esophagus and takes samples of cells which appear to be Barrett’s.  The patient does not feel any discomfort from the cells which are taken during the endoscopy.

These cells are sent out to a pathologist which analyzes the cell tissue to see if it is in fact Barrett’s esophagus.  The pathologist can also test the cells to see if they are a developed stage of esophageal cancer.

Q: I have been diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus, will I get esophageal cancer?

A: Barrett’s esophagus is a risk factor for esophageal cancer and patients should first and foremost consult with their doctor to receive proper treatment and advice.

Patients with Barrett’s esophagus should, receive periodic exams to find any pre-cancerous cells. If these cells are found, they should be treated immediately in order to prevent esophageal cancer.

Those with Barrett’s esophagus should also take immediate steps to reduce acid reflux to further aggravate the esophagus.

For more information on Barrett’s esophagus, visit the sources of this article:

MayoClinic.com

Barrx.com

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Content found on Salgi.org is for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Gastrointestinal Cancer Advances: News from the 2012 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium: New Test May Identify People With Barrett’s Esophagus That Have a Higher Risk of Esophageal Cancer | Cancer.Net

A new study shows that a specific test can help find which people with Barrett’s esophagus have a higher risk of esophageal cancer. Barrett’s esophagus is a condition associated with abnormal changes (called dysplasia) in the cells lining the esophagus. These changes are not cancerous, but they can become cancerous over time as the cells become more abnormal. Although all people with Barrett’s esophagus are at risk for esophageal cancer, there has been no good way to find out who is more likely to develop cancer.

Typically, a person with Barrett’s esophagus is monitored for precancerous changes or early-stage cancers by taking several biopsies of the esophagus during an endoscopy. An endoscopy is a test that allows the doctor to see inside the body with a thin, lighted, flexible tube called an endoscope. A biopsy is the removal of a small piece of tissue for examination under a microscope. Unfortunately, this method of screening may miss abnormal cells.

In this study, researchers examined the biopsy samples from 60 patients with Barrett’s esophagus. Of these patients, 33 had no dysplasia or cancer and 27 had high-grade (very abnormal cells) dysplasia or cancer. By using a technique called spectroscopy that looks at patterns of light shined through cells from a biopsy and a special type of microscope that can detect very small cell changes, researchers found three different types of changes, called markers, in the cells lining the esophagus. The researchers were able to use these markers to tell the difference between Barrett’s esophagus with no dysplasia and high-grade dysplasia/cancer, meaning they could determine which patients were more likely to develop cancer sooner.

What this means for patients

“Eventually, this approach could lead to a simpler and more effective monitoring program for patients with Barrett’s. Such a program would identify people with high-risk Barrett’s esophagus who need more intensive monitoring, and who may need treatment to destroy the precancerous tissue,” said lead researcher Randall Brand, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. This type of monitoring for Barrett’s esophagus is still being studied and is currently only available in clinical trials.

The American Gastroenterological Association recommends lifestyle and dietary changes in order to reduce heartburn symptoms.

Below are a list of the top 10 foods to avoid in order to reduce heartburn occurrence:

1. Citrus fruits and beverages
2. Tomatoes
3. Garlic & onion
4. Spicy foods
5. Greasy, deep-fried or fatty foods
6. Alcohol
7. Caffeine
8. Peppermint
9. Chocolate
10. Carbonated beverages

Those that suffer from heartburn twice a week or more may , you may have Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and should consult with your doctor for treatment options.

For more information on the foods listed above, click here.

Information via American Gastroenterological Association.

The Nature Medicine journal has indicated that researchers at the Medical Research Council are able to use sugar to detect early stages of pre-cancerous cells within the esophagus.

Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald led the research team based at the Cancer Cell Unit in Cambridge, Massachusetts along with New York University’s Lara Mahal, an associate professor of chemistry and William Eng, a laboratory technician.

The researchers use sugar during the cancer stage named “dysplasia.”  This stage is when cancer can be prevented by the removal of pre-cancerous cells.

Many times areas are missed during endoscopies and biopsies which gives patients a false sense of assurance.

Researchers discovered a new method for identifying pre-cancerous cells by spraying on a fluorescent probe that sticks to sugars and lights up any abnormal areas during endoscopy.

Esophageal cancer is currently the eight leading cause of death in the United States and the number of cases has been on the rise in recent years and does not seem to be decreasing soon.

To read more, click here.

“This device is a huge advance for the treatment of reflux, which affects millions of people in the United States. In fact, I have a list of patients waiting for it to be implanted,” Lipham was quoted on USC’s website.

The device was created by Torax Medical, Inc. based in Minnesota.  Made up of magnetic, titanium beads, the bracelet-like device is implanted around the end of the esophagus near the lower esophageal sphincter valve.   When this valve is weakened, acids from the stomach are able to reflux up into the esophagus, thus causing GERD to develop over a period of time.

According to the American College of Gastroenterology, more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month and more than 15 million experience heartburn symptoms everyday.

With 15 to 20 minutes needed for implantation of the device, the procedure is almost completely outpatient, whereas acid reflux disease is more commonly treated via a surgical procedure.   This procedure calls for the esophagael sphincter to be reconstructed.   This invasive procedure results in the inability to belch or vomit and has been shown to lead to further bloating or gastro issues.

To read more about USC innovative new device, click here.

The Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York has opened Esophageal Center facility which is dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer of the esophagus.

Vipul Shah, M.D. and Stephen Goodman, M.D. are gastroenterologists and Co-Chairs of the Esophagus Center. Dr. Shah’s and Dr. Goodman’s team of highly trained specialists offer patients treatment for acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), esophageal cancer and motility disorders. The Esophagus Center use the latest technologies and therapies to treat patients.

Dr. Goodman stated in a MD News article that “part of the inspiration for establishing the Esophageal Center was the fact that we already have at our hospital both the physician expertise and technology to offer more than the typical community-based hospital. The second thought was that, because we’re in that fortunate position, we should take advantage of it by offering care in a more cohesive manner with everyone unified in the Esophageal Center.”

The Esophagus Center uses BÂRRX HALO technology, a system comprised of the HALO360+ ablation catheter and the HALO90 focal ablation device. This device is a radio frequency ablation treatment which helps to remove precancerous tissue within the esophagus without damaging healthy surrounding esophageal tissue.

Dr. Goodman told MD News: “This exciting technology enables us to actually burn off the disease,” says Dr. Goodman. “Barrett’s esophagus is a precancerous condition. By eliminating affected tissue through radiofrequency technology, we can help prevent esophageal cancer.”

More than 60 million Americans suffer from frequent, painful, heartburn symptoms, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. Perhaps this is why acid reflux and GERD are among the highest treated conditions in the Esophageal Center.
Diagnosis and treatment of early-stage esophageal cancer brings hope to many patients. However, when surgery is needed, Dr. Goodman stated “our thoracic surgeons are experts at minimally invasive techniques.”

For more information on Good Samaritan Hospital, visit www.goodsamhosp.org.

Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Care Centers, a Catholic, not-for-profit hospital based in Evergreen Park, Illinois offers patients with Barrett’s esophagus a new tool to treat the disease.

“HALO 360 Ablation Therapy System” uses radiofrequency energy to destroy the precancerous tissue of the esophagus. If left untreated, the precancerous tissue can lead to esophageal cancer.

Dr. Brian Blumenstein, board-certified gastroenterologist at Little Company of Mary, stated in a press release that “Barrett’s esophagus affects nearly two million Americans and is the leading cause of esophageal cancer.”

“Esophageal cancer is one of the fastest growing and deadly forms of cancer in the United States today” said Blumenstein.

“Radiofrequency ablation allows us to destroy and remove the diseased tissue without harming healthy, underlying structures of the esophagus,” Dr. Blumenstein stated. “There’s minimal scarring, and the risk for complications is very low.”

The American Gastroenterological Association issued new guidelines that support the use of radiofrequency ablation for individuals with Barrett’s esophagus.

To read more about HALO Treatment, click here.

Barrett’s esophagus is a medical condition which is caused by reflux of stomach acid into the muscular tube which connects the throat to the stomach.

Up until most recently, those who suffered from Barrett’s esophagus were thought by medical professionals to be 30 to 40 times more likely to develop esophageal cancer.

Recently, results from a Danish study indicate that the risk is actually only 11 percent as opposed to 30-40 percent as previously thought.

However, Health Day interviewed Anthony Starpoli, a gastroenterologist at New York City’s Lenox Hill Hospital.

Starpoli stated, “I don’t think based on this one study alone, we can actually make policy changes and certain societal recommendations about screening. For me, what this does is let me tell the patient, ‘I think you have a little less to worry about.’ I think we can reassure our patients to allay the fear.”

Health Day also spoke with Dr. David Bernstein, chief of gastroenterology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.

Health Day reported Bernstein “praised the study as “important and interesting” but emphasized that the cancer risk is still significant in those with Barrett’s esophagus.”

To read Health Day’s full article click here.

Acid reflux is the short term for “gastro esophageal reflux disease”  (GERD).  This condition occurs when swallowed liquid, food, and acid of the stomach, seep out of the stomach and up into the esophagus.

Weight, overeating or eating heavy meals, eating and then laying down or before bed and smoking can all increase the occurance of acid reflux.

Symptoms of GERD or Acid Reflux include: pain in the stomach, chest pains, raising stomach acids into the throat, painful and excessive hiccups or burping, nausea and bloating especially after eating.

HealthGuru

The Journal of Clinical Oncology recently published a new international study which shows that most patients who survive for at least five years after having esophageal cancer surgery recover to an “average quality of life.” 

For one in six patients, the quality of life significantly deteriorates to “a level that remains much lower then the average population in the five years after surgery.” 

Researchers suggest that hospitals “be better at identifying” those who suffer a deteriorated quality of life post-surgery.

Principal investigator Pernilla Lagergren says “the patients who show early signs of impaired quality of life should be identified and helped through a more intensive follow-up to avoid a persistently low quality of life.” 

Lagergren is professor of surgical care sciences at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

To download a copy of the study click here: 

“Health-related quality of life among 5-year survivors of esophageal cancer surgery – a prospective population-based study”, Maryam Derogar and Pernilla Lagergren. Published online before print January 3, 2012.