Managing Barrett's oesophagus

doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7395.892

BMJ 2003;326:892-894 ( 26 April )

Editorials

Managing Barrett's oesophagus

Decisions have to be based on indecisive data

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

In Barrett's oesophagus the stratified squamous epithelium that normally lines the distal oesophagus is replaced by an abnormalcolumnar epithelium that has intestinal features.¹ The abnormalepithelium (called specialised intestinal metaplasia) usuallyshows evidence of DNA damage that predisposes to malignancy,²and most oesophageal adenocarcinomas seem to arise from this metaplastictissue.³ Barrett's oesophagus affects mainly white men, amongwhom the incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma has more thanquadrupled over the past few decades.⁴ The quandary is to knowwhat to do to prevent Barrett's oesophagus from turning into oesophagealcancer.

Barrett's oesophagus develops as a consequence of chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), and is usually discoveredduring endoscopy performed to evaluate the symptoms of refluxdisease. Endoscopists recognise Barrett's oesophagus because thedull red of the metaplastic columnar epithelium contrasts sharplywith the pale glossy normal squamous lining (figure).

Table Removed (Available Only in the Full Text)

Barrett's oesophagus is classified as long segment or short segment, . . . [Full text of this article]

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us Add to Digg

Digg

Technorati What's this?

Relevant Article

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: Mark Fox and Ian Forgacs
BMJ 2006 332: 88-93. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

Fox, M., Forgacs, I. (2006). Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. BMJ 332: 88-93 [Full text]
Moons, L M G, Bax, D A, Kuipers, E J, van Dekken, H, Haringsma, J, van Vliet, A H M, Siersema, P D, Kusters, J G (2004). The homeodomain protein CDX2 is an early marker of Barrett's oesophagus. J. Clin. Pathol. 57: 1063-1068 [Abstract] [Full text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Cancer prevention strategies: the right decision!: Zubair Kabir
bmj.com, 30 Apr 2003 [Full text]
Role of weight Reduction in Oesophageal reflux: Dorasami Raman
bmj.com, 3 May 2003 [Full text]