Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
What is the risk of developing adenocarcinoma of the esophagus in Barrett's?
When patients with Barrett's esophagus are assessed as a group, the risk of cancer has been found to be as low as
one in 300 patients yearly. This means that if we examined 300 patients yearly, one patient would be found to have cancer every year. What we really need to know, however, is the risk of cancer if NO DYSPLASIA is found after
one or two years of surveillance. Our belief is that this risk would be much less than the previously-quoted figures of
one in 300 patients yearly.
Among patients with high grade dysplasia, up to 50% may be found to have cancer. Therefore, the first order of management when high grade dysplasia is found is to exclude the presence of an adenocarcinoma.
Low grade dysplasia is much less threatening than high
grade dysplasia, but we don't know just how much less. In fact, we don't have
precise data to indicate just what the cancer risk is in patients with Barrett's and low grade dysplasia.
The diagnosis of dysplasia should be as precise as possible because this diagnosis can prompt a change in the treatment or the intensity of follow-up of patients with Barrett's esophagus. It requires a great deal of experience to be able to make a precise diagnosis of the presence and grade of dysplasia. Therefore, it is a common and useful practice to ask a second pathologist (or even a third, if necessary) to review the biopsies. The idea is to see if there is an agreement between the pathologists and/or to get a more experienced opinion about the presence and grade of dysplasia.
If a person has longer segment Barrett's, one would guess that the cancer risk is greater than with shorter segment Barrett's. The data, however, is controversial in this regard. For that reason, the current practice is to do endoscopic biopsy surveillance with similar frequency in patients with short and long segment Barrett's esophagus.
What are the symptoms of Barrett's esophagus?
Barrett's esophagus has no unique symptoms. Patients with Barrett's have the symptoms of GERD (for
example, heartburn, regurgitation, nausea, etc.). The general trend is for Barrett's patients to have more severe GERD. However, not all Barrett's have marked symptoms of GERD, and some patients are detected accidentally with minimal or no symptoms of GERD.
Heartburn is a burning sensation behind the breastbone,
usually in the lower half, but may extend all the way up to the throat.
Sometimes, it is accompanied by burning or pain in the pit of the stomach just
below where the breastbone ends. The second most common symptom is regurgitation (backup) of bitter tasting fluid. GERD symptoms often are worse after meals and when lying flat.
The refluxed, regurgitated fluid occasionally may enter
the lungs or the voice box (larynx), resulting in what are called extraesophageal (outside the
esophagus) symptoms (manifestations) of GERD. These symptoms include:
For reasons not fully understoood, some GERD patients have minimal heartburn but experience other GERD symptoms,
for example, extraesophageal symptoms.
GERD may result in strictures and ulceration of the esophagus. A
stricture or narrowing is due to scarring (fibrosis) of the esophagus that may cause
difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia). The
dysphagia is sensed as a sticking (stopping) of solid food in the chest (in the
esophagus), and liquids when the narrowing is severe. Strictures can be treated
by stretching them with dilators during endoscopy. Untreated, strictures may
promote more spillage of food and/or gastric fluids into the lungs. Uncommonly,
massive gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding caused by inflammation of the esophagus
may occur. Such bleeding results in
vomiting of blood or passage of
black or
maroon stools. More commonly, however, an inflamed esophagus can cause slow
bleeding that is detected when anemia (a low red blood cell count) is found and/or stools are tested for blood.
Most sore throats are caused by viruses or mechanical causes (such as mouth breathing) and can be treated successfully at home. However, a person should be seen by a health care professional if they have a sore throat that has a rapid onset, and is associated with a fever or tenderness of the front of the neck; a sore throat that causes the person to have difficulty swallowing (not just pain swallowing) or breathing; or if a sore throat lasts for more than a week.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which the acidified liquid
contents of the stomach backs up into the esophagus. The symptoms of uncomplicated GERD are heartburn,
regurgitation, and nausea. Effective treatment is available for most patients with GERD.
Bronchitis is a disease of the respiratory system in which the bronchial passages become inflamed. There are two types of bronchitis, acute and chronic. Symptoms of acute bronchitis include frequent cough with mucus, lack of energy, wheezing, and possible fever. Treatment may require medication such as bronchial inhalers and predinsone. Supportive treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms with fever reducers, cough suppressants, and rest. Treatment may be more aggressive in patients with pre-existing conditions such as empyema, COPD, or cigarette smoking.
A hiatal hernia is an anatomical abnormality in which part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm and up into the chest. Causes of hiatal hernia are a larger than normal esophageal hiatus. There are two types of hiatal hernias, sliding, or para-esophageal. When symptoms of hiatal hernia appear, they are similar to GERD symptoms. Hiatal hernia treatment is generally surgery.
Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Treatment of chronic cough is dependant upon the cause.
Esophageal cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the esophagus. Risk factors of cancer of the esophagus include smoking, heavy alcohol use, Barrett's esophagus, being male and being over age 60. Severe weight loss, vomiting, hoarseness, coughing up blood, painful swallowing, and pain in the throat or back are symptoms. Treatment depends upon the size, location and staging of the cancer and the health of the patient.
Stool color is generally brown. When stool color changes, often, an individual becomes concerned. The presence of the bilirubin in bile is generally responsible for stool color. Bilirubin concentration can vary bile color from light yellow to almost black in color. Changes in bilirubin can cause stool to turn green, gray, or clay-like in color. Intestinal bleeding may turn stool black, tarry, red, maroon, or smelly stool. Medication and food may also affect stool color.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterium that causes chronic inflammation (gastritis) of the inner lining of the stomach in humans. This bacteria also is the most common cause of ulcers worldwide.
Eosinophilic esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus. Eosinophilic esophagitis has many causes including acid reflux, heartburn, viruses, medications that become stuck in the esophagus, allergy, asthma, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Eosinophilic esophagitis symptoms include difficulty swallowing food, abdominal pain, chest pain, and heartburn.
Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing, swallowing problems. Dysphagia is due to problems in nerve or muscle control. It is common, for example, after a stroke. Dysphagia compromises nutrition and hydration and may lead to aspiration pneumonia and dehydration.
Esophagitis is caused by an infection or irritation of the esophagus. Infections that cause esophagitis include candida yeast infection of the esophagus as well as herpes.
Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining. Causes of gastritis include drinking too much alcohol, medications such as NSAIDs, ibuprofen, aspirin, H. pylori infection, severe infections, burns, anemia, and autoimmune disorders. Gastritis is diagnosed with endoscopy, blood tests, or stool tests. Treatment depends upon the cause of gastritis.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Hoarseness (abnormal deep, harsh, raspy voice) is caused by a variety of conditions in which the larynx (voice box and vocal chords) are irritated or injured. Examples of causes of hoarseness include: laryngitis, straining the vocal cords by yelling or screaming, infections, GERD, allergies, and more. Treatment of hoarseness depends on the cause.
Schatzki (Schatzki's) ring, is a narrow ring of tissue located just above the junction of the esophagus and stomach. The cause of Schatzki ring is not clearly known, however, some doctors believe they are caused by long term acid reflux. The symptoms of a Schatzki ring is primarily poorly chewed food that stays in chunks becoming stuck in the esophagus. Diagnosis of Schatzki's ring is barium x-ray or endoscopy. Treatment is generally a procedure to stretch or fracture the rings.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Heartburn is a burning sensation experienced from acid reflux (GERD). Symptoms of heartburn include chest pain, burning in the throat, difficulty swallowing, the feeling of food sticking in the throat, and a burning feeling in the chest. Causes of heartburn include dietary habits, lifestyle habits, and medical causes. Treatments for heartburn include lifestyle changes, OTC medication, prescription medication, and surgery.
Acid backing up into the larynx (voice box), it causes reflux laryngitis. Irritation of the lining of the esophagus, larynx, and throat can lead to esophagitis, sinusitis, strictures, hoarseness, throat clearing, swallowing problems, asthma, chronic cough, and more. Typical symptoms of reflux laryngitis include heartburn, hoarseness, or a sensation of a foreign body in the throat. Reflux laryngitis can be treated with OTC medication, prescription medication, and lifestyle changes.
Disease prevention in men includes routine screening tests that are part of basic prevention medicine. Take an active role in your own health care and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life. Age of screening and timing of screening depends upon the condition being assessed.
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