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Review: Barrett's esophagus and the increasing role of endoluminal therapy

Temple University School of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, 3401 North Broad Street, 8PP, Zone "C", Philadelphia, PA 19140, mssmith{at}alumni.princeton.edu

Charles J. Lightdale

Columbia University Medical Center, 161 Fort Washington Avenue, New York, NY 10032

Barrett's esophagus, or the presence of specialized intestinal mucosa in the esophagus that has a malignant potential, has experienced a rapid increase in diagnosis and prevalence over the past few decades. Once thought to progress to adenocarcinoma in an orderly sequence of increasing dysplasia, recent data suggest the process can be more random. In combination with targeted surveillance endoscopy, recent improvements in technology have aided endoluminal therapy in becoming a cost-effective adjunct to medication. When used in combination, in particular, these ablative therapies have become suitable, if not preferable, alternatives to surgery in many patients.

Key Words: Barrett's esophagus • esophageal cancer • gastro-esophageal reflux disease

Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology, Vol. 1, No. 2, 121-142 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1756283X08095883


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