Barrett's oesophagus: the new endoscopic modalities have a future.
Barrett's oesophagus is defined as the replacement of squamous oesophageal epithelium by intestinal metaplasia in the distal oesophagus. It is a fairly frequent complication of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD): 5-10% of patients with GORD suffer from Barrett's oesophagus. GORD is essential for the development of Barrett's oesophagus.1 Intestinal metaplasia is a premalignant lesion that may further develop into dysplasia and lead to adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus. The latter now accounts for almost 50% of oesophageal cancer cases in western countries, and the largest increase in its incidence was recorded during the past two decades. Patients with Barrett's oesophagus have a 2-25% risk of developing mild to severe dysplasia and a 2-5% risk of having adenocarcinoma: 30-150 times higher than the risk in the general population. Forty to fifty per cent of Barrett's oesophagus patients with severe dysplasia would present adenocarcinoma within 5 years.
Deviere
J
J
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatopancreatology, ULB - Hôpital Erasme, Route de Lennik 808, B - 1070 Brussels, Belgium. jdeviere@ulb.ac.be
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000601:surgery; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery