Endoscopic Surveillance for Barrett Esophagus Without Dysplasia

Rates of progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma and dysplasia were low, raising doubt about the effectiveness of surveillance.

The justification for endoscopic biopsy surveillance in patients with Barrett esophagus (BE) comes from observational study findings showing increased early detection of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and improved survival. Also, the advent of endoscopic ablative therapies (particularly for BE with dysplasia) has spurred enthusiasm for the procedure. Reported incidences of EAC and high-grade dysplasia (HGD) vary, with recent studies reporting rates of approximately 0.5% and 0.9%, respectively, but their accuracy is still uncertain.

Now, researchers have evaluated incidence and progression of EAC and HGD in a prospective cohort study involving 1204 patients (94% white; 88% men; mean age, 59.3) with nondysplastic BE from five tertiary referra…

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

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