Latest Barrett's esophagus Stories

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a safe and effective option for the treatment of dysplastic Barrett's esophagus that attains lasting response, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. Progression of disease, which can precede cancer, was rare in patients who underwent RFA treatment, and there was no procedure- or cancer-related mortality."This study reports the longest duration of follow-up of patients undergoing...

5-year study identifies genes that predispose for BE/EACResearchers have identified genetic mutations in patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) and/or the cancer esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). None of these mutations were found in patients not affected by BE/EAC, suggesting a previously unknown heritable cause. Identifying genetic markers will allow risk assessment, early detection, improved disease management, and ultimately increased survival.BE is estimated to occur in up to 10 percent...

Mutations in three genes have been identified that are more prevalent in patients with esophageal cancer and Barrett esophagus, a premalignant metaplasia (change in cells or tissue) caused by chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), according to preliminary research reported in the July 27 issue of JAMA.The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in the United States and Europe has increased 350 percent since 1970, with the cause uncertain. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is believed to...

Medically treated patients with mild or no symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are at higher risk for developing esophageal cancer than those with severe GERD symptoms, according to a University of Pittsburgh study published in the current issue of Archives of Surgery.Many patients who develop adenocarcinoma, a common form of esophageal cancer, are unaware that they have Barrett's esophagus "“ a change in the cells lining the esophagus often due to repeated stomach acid...

BLUE ISLAND, Ill., July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Chronic reflux patients who also suffer from large hiatal hernias can now get relief in just one visit to the operating room. MetroSouth Medical Center general surgeon Felipe Gracias, MD, Palos Park, is the first physician in Illinois to treat both conditions using a combination of laparoscopic surgery for the hiatal hernia, and an incisionless procedure using an endoscope through the mouth to treat the reflux. In the past, patients with...

Scientists from Singapore and the US identify a novel mechanism for evolution of highly aggressive cancers Dr Frank McKeon, Senior Group Leader of the Stem Cell and Developmental Biology at A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), and Principal Investigator Dr Wa Xian at A*STAR's Institute of Medical Biology (IMB), together with their counterparts from the Harvard Medical School, the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and the National University of Singapore, have made the...

Barrett's esophagus, often a precursor to esophageal cancer, results from residual, embryonic cellsResearchers have discovered a new mechanism for the origin of Barrett's esophagus, an intestine-like growth in the esophagus that is triggered by chronic acid reflux and often progresses to esophageal cancer. Studying mice, the researchers found that Barrett's esophagus arises not from mutant cells in the esophagus but rather a small group of previously overlooked cells present in all adults...

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Patients with Barrett's esophagus may have a lower risk of esophageal cancer than previously thought, according to this study.Barrett's esophagus is a precancerous condition, and patients who have it are often advised to have regular endoscopies to watch for signs of esophageal adenocarcinoma, the most common kind of esophageal cancer. However, how often Barrett's esophagus progresses to cancer has not been clear.In this study, Shivaram Bhat, B.Ch., MRCP, of Queens...

Patients with Barrett's esophagus may have a lower risk of esophageal cancer than previously reported, according to a large, long-term study published online June 16 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.Barrett's esophagus is a premalignant condition, and patients who have it are often advised to have regular endoscopies to watch for signs of esophageal adenocarcinoma, the most common kind of esophageal cancer in many parts of the world. But how often Barrett's esophagus progresses...

NEW YORK, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Two studies published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences have demonstrated that an improved method for performing the standard upper endoscopy examination done on over eight million Americans with heartburn each year increases the detection of pre-cancerous cells in the esophagus by over 40 percent. Esophageal adenocarcinoma has increased by 600 percent over the last 25 years, making it the fastest growing form of cancer in the United States. It is...