How often does Barrett's Esophagus become cancer?

Quoting from Harrison's:

"Barrett's Esophagus

The metaplasia of esophageal squamous epithelium to columnar epithelium (Barrett's esophagus) is a complication of severe reflux esophagitis, and it is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma (Chap. 77). Metaplastic columnar epithelium develops during healing of erosive esophagitis with continued acid reflux because columnar epithelium is more resistant to acid-pepsin damage than is squamous epithelium. The metaplastic epithelium is a mosaic of different epithelial types including goblet cells and columnar cells that have features of both secretory and absorptive cells (incomplete or type III metaplasia). Barrett's esophagus is arbitrarily divided into long-segment (>2鈥? cm) or short-segment (<2鈥? cm) groups; long-segment disease is present in 0.5% of the population and short-segment disease may occur in up to 15%.

Barrett's epithelium progresses through a dysplastic stage before developing into adenocarcinoma. The rate of cancer development is 0.5% per year; those with long-segment disease have a risk of developing esophageal cancer that is 30 to 125 times the risk of the general population. Barrett's esophagus can also lead to chronic peptic ulcer of the esophagus with high (midesophageal) and long strictures."

Much more to the article if you are interested, e-mail me...

not any more often than any other part of the body

There is about a 0.5% annual risk for esophageal cancer (roughly 30x the risk of the normal population) if you have Barrett's esophagus. However, this is only a statistic, anyone with Barrett's should get regular endoscopy, in this way they may be able to get a better idea of whether that particular person is at high risk or not.

your chance of developing adenocarcinoma of the esophagus is approx.30-125times higher than a person who does not have Barretts.The good news is less than1% of people with Barretts develope cancer per year.

Very well said by cassandra....

give her 10 points for the effort of research...

I read harrison's internal medicine both manual and the mother book.

Very seldom, especially when it caught early. Barrett's esophagus seems to be a common disease though.

Good luck!

50%

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