Pacientes Brochure

Barrett’s Esophagus

What is Barrett’s
esophagus?
Barrett’s esophagus is a pre-cancerous
condition affecting the lining of the
esophagus, the swallowing tube that
carries foods and liquids from the
mouth to the stomach.
Barrett’s esophagus is estimated to affect about 3.3 million
adults in the United States.1,2

How does Barrett’s
esophagus develop?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)
is a disorder in which stomach acid and
enzymes cause injury to the esophageal
lining, producing symptoms such as
heartburn, regurgitation, and chest pain.
In some patients with GERD, the normal
esophagus cells are damaged. Over time,
this damage can result in inflammation
and genetic changes that cause the cells
to become altered. The tissue takes on a
different appearance andmicroscopically
is no longer esophageal tissue, but rather
becomes intestinal tissue. This is called
“intestinal metaplasia” or Barrett’s
esophagus. If a patient has GERD
symptoms more than 3 times per week,
they should consult their physician.
It is estimated that 13% of the people who have chronic acid
reflux also have Barrett’s esophagus.3

How is Barrett’s
esophagus diagnosed?
Adiagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus requires
that the patient undergo an upper endoscopy
procedure by their physician, typically a
gastroenterologist or surgical endoscopist.
Endoscopy is a non-surgical procedure and is
performed using conscious sedation. Barrett’s
esophagus tissue appears as a different color
on examination, which directs a biopsy of the
tissue for pathology evaluation. Afinding of
intestinal cells in the esophagus (intestinal
metaplasia) confirms a Barrett’s esophagus
diagnosis.
What are the different types
of Barrett’s esophagus?

How is Barrett’s
esophagus managed?

There are different types or “grades” of
Barrett’s esophagus, according to biopsy and
microscopic findings. These “grades” include:
intestinal metaplasia (IM) without dysplasia,
IM withlow-grade dysplasia, and IM with
high-grade dysplasia. “Dysplasia” refers to
inherent abnormalities of a tissue or cell that
make it more cancer-like and disorganized.
While the presence of dysplasia may raise the
risk of cancer, it is not considered cancer.4-6
Ultimately, higher grades of dysplasia may
be considered cancer if there are signs of
tissue invasion.

Joint recommendations frommedical societies
recommend that a patient with Barrett’s
esophagus should undergo an upper endoscopy
procedure with biopsies on a regular basis for
the remainder of their lifetime. The frequency
of endoscopy is determined by the grade of
Barrett’s esophagus. A patient with IM without
dysplasia will undergo surveillance endoscopy
approximately every 3 years. The frequency
for a patientwith low-grade dysplasia is much
higher (every 6-12 months) due to the increased
risk for cancer development. A patient with
IM with high-grade dysplasia may undergo
surveillance endoscopy every 3 months,
or be referred for more definitive therapy
immediately.7

What are the risks to the patient
who has Barrett’s esophagus?

Barrett’s esophagus increases the risk for a
patient to developesophageal adenocarcinoma
(a specific type of cancer.) While all grades of
Barrett’s esophagus place the patient at this
higher risk, low-grade and high-grade dysplasia
are the highest risk sub-types.6

In addition to surveillance endoscopy
approaches for Barrett’s esophagus, there
are treatment options that include endoscopic
and surgical therapy to eliminate the Barrett’s
tissuecompletely. Patients should consult with
their physician to determine what the optimal
approach is for their particular disease state.

What is the treatment
option using the HALO
ablation technology?
“Ablation” is a technique where tissue is
heated until it is no longer viable or alive.
Physicians have used various forms of
ablation for nearly a century to treat a
number of cancerous and...