A procedure that uses heat generated by radio waves to treat Barrett's esophagus, a condition caused by acid reflux (severe heartburn), can eliminate signs of the potentially cancer-causing disorder and reduce the risk that the disease will progress.
Findings from the first multicenter trial of the procedure, called radiofrequency ablation, could mean patients have an alternative to surgery for treating Barrett's esophagus. The procedure uses a scope inserted through the mouth to destroy the abnormal tissue. The investigators report their findings in the May 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Patients with Barrett's esophagus can go on to develop esophageal cancer," says Steven A. Edmundowicz, M.D., lead investigator at the study site at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "Cancer of the esophagus usually is deadly. Less than 15 percent of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma survive for five years, and in those with advanced Barrett's esophagus, the risk that the condition will advance to become cancer is about 6 percent per year."
In Barrett's esophagus, part of the lining of the esophagus is replaced with cells that resemble intestinal cells. As the condition progresses, these cells become increasingly disordered. Long-standing acid reflux disease is common in those who develop Barrett's esophagus, which affects about 1 percent of adults in the United States.
The surgical option is offered to patients with Barrett's esophagus found to have severe dysplasia or cancer. The type of surgery varies, but it usually involves removing most of the esophagus, pulling a portion of the stomach up into the chest and attaching it to what remains of the esophagus
Shaheen NJ, et al. Radiofrequency ablation in Barrett's esophagus with dysplasia. New England Journal of Medicine, vol 330 (22), May 28, 2009.
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