Esophageal Cancer Causes
6. Barrett’s Esophagus
Barrett’s esophagus is a possible complication of GERD. It means that the cells of the lining of the lower esophagus have changed to more closely resemble the cells of the stomach. This is as a result of the esophagus cells regularly having to deal with the caustic nature of the digestive juices. The condition will sometimes go on to cause a type of esophageal cancer known as adenocarcinoma; however, the risk of progression to cancer is estimated at roughly 0.5% per year in these patients.
Many people with Barrett’s esophagus will experience no symptoms. However, the classic patient will be a middle-aged man that reports chronic symptoms of GERD. As a result, any patient aged fifty years or older that reports chronic GERD should be screened through upper endoscopy for Barrett’s esophagus.
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