The esophagus, or food pipe, is a tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.
Barrett's esophagus is a condition where the normal tissue lining the esophagus changes to a tissue that resembles the lining of the intestine. Barrett's esophagus affects 1% of people in US according to National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). This condition is important because people who have Barrett's esophagus have a small risk of getting cancer of the esophagus. (See ref 1)
Cause
According to the National Institutes of Health, you are more at risk of developing Barrett's esophagus if you have suffered from gastroesophageal reflux disease for many years.
GERD is the back-flow of the stomach acid into the esophagus. Having acid reflux for more than 10 years increases your chances of getting Barrett's esophagus, according to The Mayo Clinic. The acid exposure can damage the lining of the esophagus.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Barrett's are those that arise due to reflux of acid. You may have a burning sensation in your chest, which may wake you up in the night, pain in the chest, difficulty swallowing food and vomiting of blood. According to The Mayo Clinic, some patients may not experience any symptoms.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Barrett's is through an endoscopy. Your doctor will pass a tube called an endoscope into your esophagus. If you have Barrett's, your tissue appears different than normal on endoscopy.
People with Barrett's have a 1 in 200 chance of developing cancer of the esophagus, according to the American College of Gastroenterology.
During the endoscopy, a biopsy is done. A small piece of tissue is taken and examined under the microscope. People with Barrett's should repeat this test periodically to look for precancerous or cancerous esophagus cells, which are determined through biopsies. Dysplasia, or the degree of changes in your cells, determines your treatment, according to The Mayo Clinic.
Treatment
If you have Barrett's, and no cancer cells are found on biopsy, you should have a follow-up endoscopy a year later. If you have low-grade dysplasia you are advised to have an endoscopy six months later. This will help your doctor to see if any precancerous or cancerous cells are present. This will help determine the treatment of cancer at an early stage. Your doctor will also suggest medicines to reduce your heartburn and acid reflux.
Surgery may be suggested if the biopsy shows changes that are likely to lead to cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health. Surgery will remove the harmful tissue in the esophagus.
Prevention/Solution
According to the National Institutes of Health, diagnosis and treatment of GERD may prevent Barrett's esophagus. To treat GERD, your doctor will suggest some changes in your lifestyle. He will ask you to avoid spices and fatty food, not to lie down immediately after your dinner, and to sleep with the head end of the bed elevated. He will likely prescribe medications like antacids and proton pump inhibitors.
