Persons with esophagogastric adenocarcinoma who undergo neoadjuvant therapy and curative-intent surgery are unfortunately still at risk for recurrence even with pathological complete (or near-complete) treatment response. If those likely to experience recurrence could be identified early they might benefit from additional treatment such as immunotherapy. This preliminary study investigates the
From South Australia's Flinders University, Dr. Aoki and colleagues report on a cost-effectiveness analysis of various screening strategies for identifying Barrett's esophagus (BE) in the community, The study examined four primary screening tools: non-weighted clinical risk stratification, weighted risk stratification, the Cytosponge-TFF3 device, and traditional endoscopy
This impressive multicenter study by Miyoshi et al. introduces a new diagnostic tool named EMERALD, which is a six-circulating miRNA signature designed to effectively differentiate patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE), from non-disease controls. The research involved analyzing 792 patient samples across four
Esophageal adenocarcinoma is quite rare among persons younger than 40 years, but the consequences of the disease, including years of life lost, can be devastating. Due to its rarity there has been little research on how risk factors in young persons (e.g., Barrett's esophagus (BE), obesity, GERD,
While most adults occasionally experience symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux, such as heartburn and regurgitation, approximately 20% (30 million people in the U.S.) experience these symptoms more frequently, ranging from once a week to multiple times a day. (1) Complications associated with GERD can include esophageal strictures, ulcers, and even
This article explores some of the ethical implications of using race and ethnicity for cancer screening, using esophageal adenocarcinoma and gastric cancer as examples. It highlights the disparities in cancer incidence and mortality among different racial and ethnic groups and examines the potential benefits and drawbacks of screening based (in
This interesting and thoughtful paper by Dr. Elspeth Davies at the University of Cambridge investigates the use of the capsule sponge test for screening Barrett's esophagus (BE) in a mobile clinic in England, highlighting the challenges in balancing patient-centered and risk-centered medical management. Through ethnographic fieldwork, the study
An evidence-based compendium of recommended treatments
Accurate and timely identification of Barrett’s-related (BE) dysplasia is critical to providing the timely surveillance and treatment needed to prevent progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Unfortunately, significant observer variability in the assessment of BE-related dysplasia by pathologists continues to be a challenge. This report discusses the development and application of
Using data from the previously published BEST3 clinical trial (1), the authors estimated the potential for improving the detection of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) among individuals aged 50 and above with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). They calculated that the current referral strategies identify only
Exposure to asbestos, whether through occupational or environmental routes, can cause several cancers, including mesothelioma and lung. It’s role in increasing risk of esophageal cancer (EC) has long been suspected, but not yet confirmed. In this thorough meta-analysis, 48 independent cohort and case-control studies were analyzed using random-effects models
This study provides valuable context for patients and their physicians concerned about future health implications of their diagnosis and treatment for Barrett's neoplasia (dysplasia or early cancer.) It investigates the risk of mortality unrelated to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in patients who have undergone endoscopic eradication therapy (EET) for