Barrett’s Esophagus
Barrett’s esophagus is a condition in which the lining of the esophagus (swallowing tube) changes, becoming similar to the tissue that lines the intestine. Barrett’s is a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and is more likely to occur in patients who either experienced GERD at a young age or have a longer duration of symptoms. Barrett’s esophagus is diagnosed at the time of an upper endoscopy and confirmed by biopsies taken during the endoscopy. There is a small but not insignificant risk of developing esophageal cancer in patients with Barrett’s esophagus (approximately 0.5 percent per year). Dysplasia, which is discovered via biopsy obtained during endoscopy, is a precancerous condition in patients with long term Barrett’s and may progress to esophageal cancer.Therefore, patients with Barrett’s should be screened every 2 – 3 years with endoscopies to prevent the progression to esophageal cancer. Those with dysplasia are monitored more closely. There is no cure for Barrett’s, although it has been suggested that treating GERD symptoms with medication may prevent the progression of the disease.
