No Evidence for Improved Cancer Survival with Barrett Esophagus Surveillance

Observed benefits of surveillance — lower stage at diagnosis and longer survival — were attributable to bias.

Although endoscopic surveillance of Barrett esophagus (BE) is recommended, the question remains as to whether it reduces cancer risk or prolongs survival.

In the current retrospective study, researchers evaluated whether prior diagnosis with BE was associated with improved survival with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). This analysis was performed using U.S. cancer registry and linked Medicare data. The study comprised 4978 patients aged >65 years with EAC, of whom only 12% had preexisting BE.

Compared with patients without a prior BE diagnosis, those with a prior BE diagnosis had both lower stage (29% stage I and 13% stage IV compared with 16% stage I and 31% stage IV) and improved survival (hazard ratio, 0.56); however, these differences wer…

Reviewing Author

David A. Johnson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory boardMedscape/WebMD; Pfizer; CRH Medical Corporation; Aries

EquityCRH Medical Corporation

Editorial boardsMedscape Gastroenterology

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Gastroenterology Research Institute Board of Directors