Understanding Barret’s Esophagus
-This information was developed by the Publications Committee of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). For more information about ASGE, visit www.asge.org.
-This information is intended only to provide general guidance. It does not provide definitive medical advice. It is important that you consult your doctor about your specific condition.
During endoscopy, a camera lens and a light source project images onto a video monitor, allowing the physician to see if there is a change in the lining of the esophagus.
What is Barrett’s Esophagus?
Barrett’s esophagus is a condition in which the lining of the esophagus changes, becoming more like the lining of the small intestine than the esophagus. This occurs in the area where the esophagus is joined to the stomach.
It is believed that the main reason that Barrett’s esophagus develops is because of chronic inflammation resulting from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Barrett’s esophagus is more common in people who have had GERD for a long period of time or who developed it at a young age. It is interesting that the frequency or the intensity of GERD symptoms, such as heartburn, does not affect the likelihood that someone will develop Barrett’s esophagus.
Most patients with Barrett’s esophagus will not develop cancer. In some patients, however, a precancerous change in the tissue, called dysplasia, will develop. That precancerous change is more likely to develop into esophageal cancer.
At the current time, a diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus can only be made using endoscopy and detecting a change in the lining of the esophagus that can be confirmed by a biopsy of the tissue. The definitive diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus requires biopsy confirmation of the change in the lining of the esophagus.
Am I at risk for esophageal cancer?
There are two main types of esophageal cancer: squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Squamous cell cancers occur most commonly in individuals who smoke cigarettes, use tobacco products and drink alcohol. In addition, African Americans are also at increased risk of developing this type of cancer. This cancer is also very common in many areas in Asia. The frequency of squamous cell cancer of the esophagus in the United States has remained the same. Another cancer, adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, occurs most commonly in people with GERD. It is also very common in Caucasian males with increased body weight. Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus is increasing in frequency in the United States.
The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn, a condition that 20 percent of American adults experience at least twice a week. Although these individuals are at increased risk of developing esophageal cancer, the vast majority of them will never develop it. In a few patients with GERD (about 10 to 15 percent of patients), a change in the lining of the esophagus develops near the area where the esophagus and stomach join. When this happens, the condition is called Barrett’s esophagus. Doctors believe that most cases of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus begin in Barrett’s esophagus.
How does my doctor test for Barrett’s Esophagus?
Your doctor will first perform an imaging procedure of the esophagus using endoscopy to see if there are sufficient changes for Barrett’s esophagus. In an upper endoscopy, the physician passes a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope through your mouth and into the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. The endoscope has a camera lens and a light source and projects images onto a video monitor. This allows the physician to see if there is a change in the lining of the esophagus. If your doctor suspects Barrett’s esophagus, a sample of tissue (a biopsy) will be taken to make a definitive diagnosis.
Capsule Endoscopy is another test that has been used to examine the esophagus. In capsule endoscopy, the patient swallows a pill-sized video capsule that passes naturally through your digestive tract while transmitting video images to a data recorder worn on your belt. With capsule endoscopy, the physician is not able to take a sample of the tissue (a biopsy).
Both of these techniques allow the physician to view the end of the esophagus and determine whether or not the normal lining has changed. Only an upper endoscopy procedure can allow the doctor to take a sample of the tissue from the esophagus to confirm this diagnosis, as well as to look for changes of potential dysplasia that cannot be determined on endoscopic appearance alone. Barrett’s tissue has a different appearance than the normal lining of the esophagus and is visible during endoscopy.
Taking a sample of the tissue from the esophagus through an endoscope only slightly lengthens the procedure time, causes no discomfort and rarely causes complications. Your doctor can usually tell you the results of your endoscopy after the procedure, but you will have to wait a few days for the biopsy results.
Barrett’s Esophagus occurs in the area where the esophagus is joined to the stomach.
