Authors' recommendations: Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a condition affecting the lower esophagus in which the normal squamous epithelial lining is replaced by columnar epithelium. BE is thought to develop in response to gastroesophageal reflux disease. BE is potentially precancerous, and a minority of patients with the condition ultimately develop dysplasia that transforms into esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). The overall rate of progression to EAC in patients with BE is 0.6% per year. Standard endoscopic evaluation of patients with BE is performed using high-definition, white light endoscopy (HD-WLE). Current guidelines dictate random, 4-quadrant biopsies every 1 to 2 centimeters (cm) of BE length in addition to biopsies of suspicious areas. However, surveillance for esophageal precancer presents some challenges and there are drawbacks to HD-WLE. For example, random, 4-quadrant biopsies prompted by HD-WLE can miss up to half of cancers, dysplastic changes associated with BE are patchy and difficult to identify, changes may be uninterpretable when inflammation or ulceration is present, and the technique is associated with sampling error and low interobserver agreement. After pathology samples are evaluated, the patient must undergo a second endoscopy for treatment.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2014

URL for published report: The report may be purchased from: http://www.hayesinc.com/hayes/crd/?crd=16828

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: United States

Organisation Name: HAYES, Inc.

Contact Address: 157 S. Broad Street, Suite 200, Lansdale, PA 19446, USA. Tel: 215 855 0615; Fax: 215 855 5218

Contact Name: saleinfo@hayesinc.com

Contact Email: saleinfo@hayesinc.com

Copyright: 2014 Winifred S. Hayes, Inc