SARASOTA—Sarasota Memorial Hospital is garnering international attention as results of the largest study to date of Barrett's Esophagus treatment circulates among cancer and gastroenterology researchers worldwide.

 

In the study, gastroenterologists at Sarasota Memorial and those from three hospitals across the country demonstrated the importance of early treatment of Barrett's with radiofrequency ablation to reverse and prevent esophageal cancer.

 

The study addressed how early monitoring and treatment of people with chronic heartburn can reverse esophagus damage and help prevent the chance of it turning into a deadly form of esophageal cancer.

 

Patients having heartburn more than once a week, particularly those experiencing complications such as difficulty swallowing, are encouraged to consult a physician and develop a treatment plan, said Scott Corbett, MD, one of the lead physicians involved in the study. A gastroenterologist at Sarasota Memorial, Corbett is recognized as one of the nation's leading physicians studying and treating patients with precancerous conditions caused by GERD(gastroesophageal reflux disease).

 

"Barrett's is a protective mechanism gone bad," Corbett explained. "Barrett cells are actually more tolerant of acid, and when they form on a person's esophagus, their symptoms will often improve, giving a false sense of security. But it's the genetic changes in these cells that allowed them to form that ultimately predispose a person to cancer."

 

Frequent or chronic heartburn often presents as GERD, which can cause sleep problems, chronic cough and even asthma. Even worse, it can put patients at higher risk for Barrett's Esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma–an aggressive, potentially fatal cancer of the esophagus.

 

This type of esophageal cancer has jumped six-fold in the past two decades–at a more rapid rate than other malignant cancers in the United States. Even though the reason for the sudden upsurge is unclear, studies show that nearly all cases are preceded by damage in the lower esophagus caused by GERD.
About 10 to 15 percent of people with GERD develop the precancerous condition called Barrett's Esophagus. Those with the most benign forms of Barrett's have a 5 to 8 percent lifetime risk of developing esophageal cancer; the more advanced forms pose a higher risk.  

 

Until more information is known about the reasons for this rise in esophageal cancer, doctors say additional aggressive monitoring and treatment of GERD patients is needed.

 

In one of the largest studies published in the world, Corbett and other gastroenterologists demonstrated the importance of early treatment of Barrett's with radiofrequency ablation, a minimally invasive therapy that uses energy to burn off precancerous cells lining the esophagus.

 

The study included 429 patients treated by gastroenterologists at four community hospitals—in Sarasota, Chicago, Atlanta and Nashville—that pooled their results, revealing the therapy can successfully treat precancerous spots in more than 90 percent of patients. The outcomes were similar or better than those achieved in smaller studies previously conducted only at academic institutions or teaching hospitals, Corbett said.

 

If patients keep their acid under control during the healing process, Corbett explained, the body will replace precancerous Barrett cells with normal esophageal cells.

 

Even though it's not yet certain this method will block cancer from forming, the studies are promising enough that specialists have begun debating how to better reach at-risk patients who suffer from Barrett's Esophagus. For now, Barrett's sufferers have had to submit to frequent, lifelong endoscopic screening to check for the stages immediately before cancer, or to see if early cancer is present. Then, removal of the esophagus may be recommended. Experts have criticized this strategy as unreliable, anxiety provoking, and not cost effective.