BE, GERD, and Risk for Esophageal Cancer

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the primary cause of Barrett esophagus (BE); patients with BE are at increased risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma, but does BE . . .

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the primary cause of Barrett esophagus (BE); patients with BE are at increased risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma, but does BE or reflux confer the greater risk? Epidemiologic evidence has implicated GERD as a significant risk factor for esophageal cancer. In one study, the odds ratio for esophageal cancer associated with reflux symptoms was 43.5, and BE was identified in only 62% of esophageal adenocarcinoma cases (N Engl J Med 1999; 340:825-31).

To further elucidate risk for esophageal cancer, researchers compared cancer risk in four cohorts selected from a large U.K. longitudinal primary care database: 1677 patients with BE (62% men), 6392 patients with reflux-related esophagitis without BE, 6328 …

Reviewing Author

David A. Johnson, MD