The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation

Our volunteers recently came across an article on PostBulletin.com entitled “[Gastroesophageal] reflux can trigger symptoms similar to cardiac problems.”  It is a Mayo Clinic Q & A piece that the Minnesota newspaper published online.

The article question was submitted by a daughter whose father had gone to the emergency room due to chest pain which the doctors said was most likely not a heart attack but could possibly be heartburn.   Jeffrey Alexander, M.D from Mayo Clinic, responded to the daughter’s question about her father’s health.  While we are pleased with most of the article, two quotes from Dr. Alexander stuck out as major red flags for anyone who suffers from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD-which is also known as acid reflux disease).

The first quote from Dr. Alexander we would like to address is:

“Typically, GERD does not require treatment from a health care provider.”

In the United States, approximately 20 percent of the population has GERD, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).¹

One in five Americans who suffers from GERD.  If not properly treated, overtime GERD damages the lining of the esophagus and can cause serious medical conditions, i.e. chronic cough or hoarseness, bleeding or scarring of the esophagus, ulcers, Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal cancer.

Many chronic GERD sufferers turn to antacids or other over-the-counter medications for relief.  Others seek help from their doctors and are prescribed medications known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), which reduce the amount of acid in the stomach; thus treating the symptoms of GERD but not the disease.  Recent research has shown that PPIs may not protect against Barrett’s esophagus and/or esophageal cancer.² 

Therefore, those who suffer from GERD should not self-medicate alone, but should speak with their doctor and a doctor who specializes in GERD to reduce the risk of damage to the esophagus.

This leads us to the second quote by Dr. Alexander from the article that we would like to address: 

“GERD can be managed, and nobody dies from it.”

GERD is a primary risk factor for esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma), one of the fastest growing and deadliest cancers in the United States and the western world.  Incidences of esophageal cancer and GERD have increased significantly in past decades.  In fact, incidence of esophageal cancer has risen over 600%.  Unfortunately, esophageal cancer has an overall five-year survival rate of only 18.4%.³

While GERD in and of itself won’t cause anyone to die, the damage that GERD can cause to the esophagus very well could eventually lead people to die.

President of The Salgi Foundation, Linda Molfesi, knows all too well the dangers of heartburn and GERD.

“My father suffered from chronic heartburn for years and was never warned by doctors of the possible risks.  We found out too late, once he started having difficulty swallowing, that his chronic reflux had led to esophageal cancer.” Molfesi continued, “My father passed away a little over a year from the date he was diagnosed and it was, and still is, devastating,” Molfesi said.

In addition to esophageal cancer’s dramatic increase over the past decades and its very poor survival rates, there are currently no routine or standard screenings to detect esophageal cancer in its earliest stages.

The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation urges the public to be proactive about their health.  Never ignore frequent heartburn or other symptoms and never rely on medications alone.  If you suffer from heartburn, chest pain or any other symptom, talk to your doctor about all your options, especially how you can get screened for any possible damage.

Dr. Alexander does mention that lifestyle changes can help manage GERD symptoms and he also notes common “warning” symptoms which could point to more serious problems, including esophageal cancer.

However, GERD is a progressive disease which will only get worse if not properly treated.  Once again, we must stress that it is very important to speak to your doctor if you are experiencing GERD to manage symptoms, get screened and reduce your risk of Barrett’s esophagus and/or esophageal cancer.

Sources:

1. GERD by the Numbers: Facts, Statistics & You. Ann Pietrangelo. Medically Reviewed by George T. Krucik, MD, MBA on March 2, 2015. Healthline Media. healthline.com
2. Does any acid reflux medication prevent esophageal cancer? Bruce Kaechele. RefluxMD refluxmd.com
3. Cancer Stat Facts: Esophageal Cancer. National Cancer Institute, Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program, seer.cancer.gov
4. Gastroesophagel reflux can trigger symptoms similar to cardiac problems. Jeffrey Alexander, M.D., Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester. Mayo Clinic Q & A postbulletin.com

The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

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.

via: The European CanCer Organisation (ECCO)

“A test that measures the levels of five chemicals in the breath has shown promising results for the detection of cancers of the esophagus and stomach in a large patient trial presented at the European Cancer Congress 2017 [1].

Together, stomach and esophageal cancer account for around 1.4 million new cancer diagnoses each year worldwide [2]. Both tend to be diagnosed late, because the symptoms are ambiguous, meaning the five-year survival rate for these two types of cancer is only 15%.

Esophageal cancer is considered one of the fastest growing and deadliest cancers in the United States and western world, with over a 600% increase in the past decades.

The new research, involving more than 300 patients, showed that the test could diagnose cancer with an overall accuracy of 85%.

Dr Sheraz Markar, an NIHR Clinical Trials Fellow from Imperial College London, under the supervision of Professor George Hanna, told the Congress: “At present the only way to diagnose esophageal cancer or stomach cancer is with endoscopy. This method is expensive, invasive and has some risk of complications.

“A breath test could be used as a non-invasive, first-line test to reduce the number of unnecessary endoscopies. In the longer term this could also mean earlier diagnosis and treatment, and better survival.”

The trial was based on the results of previous research that suggested differences in the levels of specific chemicals (butyric, pentanoic and hexanoic acids, butanal, and decanal) between patients with stomach or esophageal cancer and patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms without cancer. The new research aimed to test whether this ‘chemical signature’ that seemed to typify cancer could be the basis of a diagnostic test.

In the new study, the research team collected breath samples from 335 people at St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust; University College London Hospital; and the Royal Marsden Hospital, London. Of these, 163 had been diagnosed with stomach or esophageal cancer and 172 showed no evidence of cancer when they had an endoscopy.

All the samples were analysed with a technique called selected ion flow-tube mass spectrometry, which is able to accurately measure small amounts of different chemicals in mixtures of gases such as breath.

Researchers measured the levels of the five chemicals in each sample to see which ones matched to the ‘chemical signature’ that indicated cancer.

The results showed that the test was 85% accurate overall, with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 81%. This means that not only was the breath test good at picking up those who had cancer (sensitivity), it was also good at correctly identifying who did not have cancer (specificity).

Dr Markar said: “Because cancer cells are different to healthy ones, they produce a different mixture of chemicals. This study suggests that we may be able detect these differences and use a breath test to indicate which patients are likely to have cancer of the esophagus and stomach, and which do not. However, these findings must be validated in a larger sample of patients before the test could be used in the clinic.”

Over the next three years, the researchers will continue with a larger trial, using the test with patients who are being given an endoscopy for gastrointestinal symptoms but not yet diagnosed with cancer. This will assess the ability of the test to pick up cases within a group that is likely to contain only a small percentage of cancers.

The team is also working on breath tests for other types of cancer, such as colorectal and pancreatic, which could be used as first-line tests in general practice surgeries.”

Story Source:

Materials above provided by The European CanCer Organisation (ECCO).  Editor Note: Content may be edited.

The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

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.

Would you like to make a difference this holiday season by supporting The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation’s efforts to promote esophageal cancer awareness and raise funding for potentially life-saving research?

If you answered yes, consider hosting a fundraiser!  Fundraising can also be done online through a fundraising page on Charity GoFundMe.  It takes less than five minutes to set up!  (Click here to start your own personal fundraising page.)

Fundraising and donations are essential to this mission!  The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation was able to award grant funding for esophageal cancer research in 2015.   This feat was accomplished in less than five years since the charity was formed.   Your support is crucial to ensuring that more research can be funded in the new year.

If you are hosting an in-person fundraiser in the Rhode Island area, we might also be able to guest speak, provide you with information and help educate others about esophageal cancer, prevention and awareness. Remember, The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit charity so all donations are tax-free and go directly to the mission.

If you would like to organize a fundraiser, contact us here, today!

If you are unable to host a fundraiser, but would like to make a donation, please visit: SALGI.org/donate.

Thank you!

The holidays are a wonderful time of year when family and friends can gather together, share thanks and enjoy an abundant feast filled with our favorite foods.  Certain habits can cause some unwanted holiday heartburn.  Learn how to enjoy the holidays and all of the delicious foods while managing your acid reflux symptoms.

Here are a few tips for you to take with you to the Thanksgiving dinner table:

1. Limit beverage consumption while eating.  Sometimes fluids, especially carbonated beverages, can cause more gas in the stomach when combined with food intake. Try to drink slowly after you are done eating.

2. Monitor what you are eating and avoid foods that trigger acid reflux.  Foods that have the worse effects on acid reflux are spicy, fatty, fried and citrus foods. Food and drinks that trigger GERD symptoms vary from person to person, so it is important to know your body and determine which are best for you.

3. Limit or avoid alcohol.  There are some people, however, who should avoid all alcohol consumption, as even the smallest amounts can cause acid reflux. Alcohol increases the production of stomach acids. Alcohol also relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the muscle that is in charge of keeping stomach contents from refluxing into the esophagus.

4. Don’t over-eat.  Ask for a smaller plate, take a small sample from each dish and choose “safe” foods that you’ve predetermined do not flare up your acid reflux symptoms. When you’re feeling tempted to overindulge, ask yourself “Is having that second helping of pumpkin pie worth the hours of pain and misery due to the acid reflux afterwards?”

5. Chew slowly. Help your digestive system by chewing every bite slowly and thoroughly. Put your fork down in between bites to help remind yourself to go slow while eating.

6. Wear loose clothing. Clothing which is tight especially around the mid-section can put extra pressure on the abdomen and increase acid reflux symptoms.

7. Sit upright for several hours after you’ve eaten. Or better yet, take a leisurely family stroll around the neighborhood to help settle your stomach and aid digestion. Avoid any rigorous exercise, as it can upset the digestion process and cause reflux symptoms.

8. Pass on the after-dinner coffee.  For some, coffee can increase acid reflux and cause symptoms to flare up.  Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee have shown to aggravate GERD symptoms.

9. Ditch all tobacco products.  Tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and pipe tobacco not only worsens GERD symptoms, but it can cause people to develop GERD.   Like alcohol, tobacco weakens the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and increases stomach acids.

While occasional heartburn is not typically a cause for concern, as billions of Americans experience heartburn at some point in their lives, heartburn that occurs more than twice weekly should not be taken lightly, as it could be an indicator of GERD.  GERD stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease which is a disease of the digestive system.

Also known as acid reflux disease, GERD is a progressive disease, which means that it worsens overtime, especially if it is not properly treated.  The reflux of acids from the stomach damages the lining of the esophagus and can cause major health problems, including an increased risk of esophageal cancer. Speak to your doctor if you are experiencing frequent or chronic heartburn or if your acid reflux symptoms are worsening.

If you, or someone you know, has GERD, RefluxMD has put together an eBook that is surely a must-read!  To download a FREE copy of “I Have GERD, Now What?”, click here.

From all of your friends at The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation, we wish you a happy, healthy and heartburn-free Thanksgiving!

Sources:

• Dr. Peter Denk, Struggling with Heartburn? Find Your Trigger Foods, RefluxMD, www.refluxmd.com/learn/resources/2014-07-28/9996/struggling-heartburn-find-your-trigger-foods
• 8 Top Lifestyle Changes to Manage GERD Diana Rodriguez Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH, Everyday Health, Inc.  www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/managing-gerd/lifestyle-changes-to-manage-gerd.aspx
• Wendl, B., Pfeiffer, A., Pehl, C., Schmidt, T. and Kaess, H. 1994. Effect of decaffeination of coffee or tea on gastro-oesophageal reflux. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics. 8(3):283-7. 
• Factors that Contribute to GERD — Use of Tobacco Products, E-MedTV.com

The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

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.