Increasing incidence of Barrett's oesophagus: a population-based study

Esophageal adenocarcinoma models: a closer look

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a subtype of esophageal cancer with significant morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Despite advancements in tumor models, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms driving EAC pathogenesis are still poorly understood. Therefore, gaining insights into these mechanisms is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Researchers have developed various models to better understand EAC and evaluate clinical management strategies. However, no single model fully recapitulates the complexity of EAC. Emerging technologies, such as patient-derived organoids and immune-competent mouse models, hold promise for personalized EAC research and drug development. In this review, we shed light on the various models for studying EAC and discuss their advantages and limitations.

Lactate Suppresses Growth of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Patient-Derived Organoids through Alterations in Tumor NADH/NAD+ Redox State

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a common precancerous lesion that can progress to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). There are significant alterations in the esophageal microbiome in the progression from healthy esophagus to BE to EAC, including an increased abundance of a variety of lactate-producing bacteria and an increase of lactate in the tumor microenvironment, as predicted by metabolic modeling. The role of bacterial lactate in EAC is unknown. Here, we utilize patient-derived organoid (PDO) models of EAC and demonstrate that lactate inhibits the growth and proliferation of EAC PDOs through alterations in the tumor NADH/NAD+ redox state. Further RNA sequencing of EAC PDOs identifies ID1 and RSAD2 as potential regulatory molecules crucial in mediating lactate's ability to suppress glycolysis and proliferation. Gene ontology analysis also identifies the activation of inflammatory and immunological pathways in addition to alterations in the metabolic pathways in EAC PDOs exposed to lactate, suggesting a multi-faceted role for lactate in the pathogenesis of EAC.

Causal relationships between dietary habits and Barrett's esophagus risk: a univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization study

Aims: Dietary habits are reported to be associated with Barrett's esophagus (BE) risk; however, whether there is a causal relationship remains controversial. Here, we systematically examined the causal effects of genetically predicted dietary habits on BE risk through a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis approach. Methods: Data for exposures were obtained from the UK Biobank (UKB), while the summary-level data for outcomes were obtained from a large sample-size GWAS meta-analysis. Genetic variants associated with 17 ordinary dietary habits at the genome-wide significance level were regarded as instrumental variables (IVs). Univariable and multivariable MR analyses were conducted to explore the causal relationships between dietary habits and BE risk. Sensitivity analyses were implemented to evaluate robustness of the results and determine the potential pleiotropy bias. Results: Univariable MR (UVMR) analysis showed that genetic predisposition to alcohol intake frequency, cooked vegetable intake, beef intake, bread intake, fresh fruit intake, salad/raw vegetable intake, and dried fruit intake were associated with BE risk, with all P values <0.05. After adjusting confounders, the effects of four dietary habits on BE risk persisted; multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis revealed that alcohol intake frequency (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.74 (1.34, 2.27); P = 3.42 × 10-5) was causally associated with higher BE risk, the cooked vegetable intake (adjusted OR = 2.64 (1.16, 5.97); P = 0.02) had suggestively increased BE risk, while higher consumption of bread (adjusted OR = 0.54 (0.32-0.91); P = 0.02) and fresh fruit (adjusted OR = 0.34 (0.15, 0.77); P = 0.01) were suggestively associated with lower BE risk. Conclusions: These MR analyses demonstrate evidence of causal relationships between dietary habits and BE risk. These findings provide new insights into targeted dietary intervention strategies for BE prevention.

Diet and risk of Barrett's oesophagus: Melbourne collaborative cohort study

Barrett's oesophagus (BE) is the precursor of oesophageal adenocarcinoma, which has become the most common type of oesophageal cancer in many Western populations. Existing evidence on diet and risk of BE predominantly comes from case-control studies, which are subject to recall bias in measurement of diet. We aimed to investigate the potential effect of diet, including macronutrients, carotenoids, food groups, specific food items, beverages and dietary scores, on risk of BE in over 20 000 participants of the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Diet at baseline (1990-1994) was measured using a food frequency questionnaire. The outcome was BE diagnosed between baseline and follow-up (2007-2010). Logistic regression models were used to estimate OR and 95 % CI for diet in relation to risk of BE. Intakes of leafy vegetables and fruit were inversely associated with risk of BE (highest v. lowest quartile: OR = 0·59; CI: 0·38, 0·94; P-trend = 0·02 and OR = 0·58; CI: 0·37, 0·93; P-trend = 0·02 respectively), as were dietary fibre and carotenoids. Stronger associations were observed for food than the nutrients found in them. Positive associations were observed for discretionary food (OR = 1·54; CI: 0·97, 2·44; P-trend = 0·04) and total fat intake (OR per 10 g/d = 1·11; CI: 1·00, 1·23), the association for fat was less robust in sensitivity analyses. No association was observed for meat, protein, dairy products or diet scores. Diet is a potential modifiable risk factor for BE. Public health and clinical guidelines that incorporate dietary recommendations could contribute to reduction in risk of BE and, thereby, oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

Diagnosis and Management of Barrett's Esophagus

Barrett's esophagus is a metaplastic change of esophageal mucosa, which can be characterized by its salmon-colored lining and the presence of columnar epithelium with goblet cells. It is a well-established precancerous state of esophageal adenocarcinoma, a tumor with very poor survival rates, which incidence is rapidly growing. Despite numerous research, the debate about its diagnosis and management is still ongoing. This article aims to provide an overview of the current recommendations and new discoveries regarding the subject.

RISK OF PRENEOPLASTIC LESIONS IN MUCOSAL PROJECTIONS OF DIFFERENT SIZES OF THE COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM IN THE LOWER ESOPHAGUS

BACKGROUND

Barrett's esophagus is an acquired condition that predisposes to the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to establish an association between the endoscopic and the histopathological findings regarding differently sized endoscopic columnar epithelial mucosa projections in the low esophagus, under 3.0 cm in the longitudinal extent.

METHODS

This is a prospective study, including 1262 patients who were submitted to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in the period from July 2015 to June 2017. The suspicious projections were measured and subdivided into three groups according to the sizes encountered (Group I: <0.99 cm; Group II: 1.0-1.99 cm; and Group III: 2.0-2.99 cm), and biopsies were then performed.

RESULTS

There was a general prevalence of suspicious lesions of 6.42% and of confirmed Barrett's lesions of 1.17%, without a general significant statistical difference among groups. However, from Groups I and II to Group III, the differences were significant, showing that the greater the lesion, the higher the probability of Barrett's esophagus diagnosis. The absolute number of Barrett's lesions was 7, 9, and 6 for Groups I, II, and III, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings led to the conclusion that even projections under 3.0 cm present a similar possibility of evolution to Barrett's esophagus. If, on the one hand, short segments are more prevalent, on the other hand, the long segments have the higher probability of Barrett's esophagus diagnosis, which is why biopsies are required in all suspicious segments.

Mechanisms for the sex-specific effect of H. pylori on risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's oesophagus

BACKGROUND

Mechanisms for how Helicobacter pylori infection affects risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett's oesophagus (BE) are incompletely understood and might differ by sex.

METHODS

In a case-control study nested in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study with 425 GERD cases and 169 BE cases (identified at 2007-10 follow-up), we estimated sex-specific odds ratios for participants who were H. pylori seronegative versus seropositive at baseline (1990-94). To explore possible mechanisms, we 1) compared patterns of H. pylori-induced gastritis by sex using serum pepsinogen-I and gastrin-17 data and 2) quantified the effect of H. pylori seronegativity on BE mediated by GERD using causal mediation analysis.

RESULTS

For men, H. pylori seronegativity was associated with 1.69-fold (CI:1.03-2.75) and 2.28-fold (CI:1.27-4.12) higher odds of GERD and BE, respectively. No association was observed for women. H. pylori-induced atrophic antral gastritis was more common in men (68%) than in women (56%; p=0.015). For men, 5 of the 15 per 1,000 excess BE risk from being seronegative was mediated by GERD.

CONCLUSIONS

Men, but not women, who were H. pylori seronegative had increased risks of GERD and BE. A possible explanation might be sex-differences in patterns of H. pylori-induced atrophic antral gastritis, which could lead to less erosive reflux for men. Evidence of GERD mediating the effect of H. pylori on BE risk among men supports this proposed mechanism.

IMPACT

The findings highlight the importance of investigating sex differences in the effect of H. pylori on risk of GERD and BE in future studies.

Gender differences in Barrett's esophagus and progression of disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

It is known that Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma occur more commonly in men. What is unknown are the prevalence of BE and rates of neoplastic progression in women. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of Barrett's and its progression to esophageal cancer in women through systematic review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Studies were included that reported prevalence rates of BE or progression rates to neoplastic disease stratified by gender. Barrett's was defined by updated criteria as salmon-colored mucosa ≥1 cm proximal to the gastroesophageal junction. Pooled rates and odds ratios (ORs) at 95% confidence interval (CI) of the prevalence of BE and its progression to neoplastic disease were calculated. Ten studies with 19,337 patients (50.6% women) reported on prevalence and six studies with 5137 patients (24.3% women) reported on neoplastic progression of disease between genders. The rate of BE in women was 1.29% ([95% CI: 0.76-2.19], I2 = 91%) compared to men at 4.66% ([95% CI: 3.31-6.53], I2 = 89%); OR: 0.33 ([95% CI: 0.27-0.42], I2 = 0%). The rate of annual progression of Barrett's to high-grade dysplasia or adenocarcinoma was 0.62% ([95% CI: 0.22-1.75]) in women compared to 1.54% ([95% CI: 0.83-2.81], I2 = 96%) in men; OR: 0.44 ([95% CI: 0.30-0.65], I2 = 22%). This study demonstrates a 70% lower rate of prevalence and a 60% lower rate of neoplastic progression of Barrett's in women. Future BE guidelines should tailor screening and surveillance practices by gender.

Demographic and lifestyle risk factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus in Australia

We examined demographic and lifestyle risk factors for incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett's esophagus (BE) in an Australian cohort of 20,975 participants aged 40-63 at recruitment (1990-1994). Information on GERD and BE was collected between 2007 and 2010. GERD symptoms were defined as self-reported heartburn or acid regurgitation. BE was defined as endoscopically confirmed columnar-lined esophagus. Risk factors for developing GERD symptoms, BE diagnosis, age at symptom onset, and age at BE diagnosis were quantified using regression. During a mean follow-up of 15.8 years, risk of GERD symptoms was 7.5% (n = 1,318) for daily, 7.5% (n = 1,333) for 2-6 days/week, and 4.3% (n = 751) for 1 day/week. There were 210 (1.0%) endoscopically diagnosed BE cases, of whom 141 had histologically confirmed esophageal intestinal metaplasia. Female sex, younger age, lower socioeconomic position (SEP) and educational attainment, and former smoking were associated with higher GERD risk. Male sex and smoking were associated with earlier GERD symptom onset. Men, older participants, those with higher SEP, and former smokers were at higher BE risk. There was some evidence higher SEP was associated with earlier BE diagnosis. GERD and BE had different demographic risk factors but shared similar lifestyle factors. Earlier GERD symptom onset for men and smokers might have contributed to higher BE risk. The SEP patterns observed for GERD and BE suggest potential inequity in access to care. These findings would be important in the development of clinical risk prediction models for early detection of BE.

Attending Training Courses on Barrett's Esophagus Improves Adherence to Guidelines: A Survey from the Italian Society of Digestive Endoscopy

BACKGROUND

Little is known on practice patterns of endoscopists for the management of Barrett's esophagus (BE) over the last decade.

AIMS

Our aim was to assess practice patterns of endoscopists for the diagnosis, surveillance and treatment of BE.

METHODS

All members of the Italian Society of Digestive Endoscopy (SIED) were invited to participate to a questionnaire-based survey. The questionnaire included questions on demographic and professional characteristics, and on diagnosis and management strategies for BE.

RESULTS

Of the 883 SIED members, 259 (31.1%) completed the questionnaire. Of these, 73% were males, 42.9% had > 50 years of age and 68.7% practiced in community hospitals. The majority (82.9%) of participants stated to use the Prague classification; however 34.5% did not use the top of gastric folds to identify the gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ); only 51.4% used advanced endoscopy imaging routinely. Almost all respondents practiced endoscopic surveillance for non-dysplastic BE, but 43.7% performed eradication in selected cases and 30% practiced surveillance every 1-2 years. The majority of endoscopists managed low-grade dysplasia with surveillance (79.1%) and high-grade dysplasia with ablation (77.1%). Attending a training course on BE in the previous 5 years was significantly associated with the use of the Prague classification (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.9-12.1), the top of gastric folds as landmark for the GEJ (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.27-4.74) and advanced imaging endoscopic techniques (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.53-7.29).

CONCLUSIONS

Practice patterns for management of BE among endoscopists are variable. Attending training courses on BE improves adherence to guidelines.

Insights Into the Oral Microbiome and Barrett's Esophagus Early Detection: A Narrative Review

Barrett's esophagus (BE) prevalence has increased steadily over the past several decades and continues to be the only known precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma. The exact cause of BE is still unknown. Most evidence has linked BE to gastroesophageal reflux disease, which injures squamous esophageal mucosa and can result in the development of columnar epithelium with intestinal metaplasia. However, this relationship is inconsistent-not all patients with severe gastroesophageal reflux disease develop BE. There is increasing evidence that the host microbiome spanning the oral and esophageal environments differs in patients with and without BE. Several studies have documented the oral and esophageal microbiome's composition for BE with inconsistent findings. The scarcity and inconsistency of the literature and the dynamic phenomena of microbiota all warrant further studies to validate the findings and dissect the effects of oral microbiota, which are considered a viable proxy to represent esophageal microbiota by many researchers. This review aims to summarize the variability of the oral and esophageal microbiome in BE by using the example of Streptococcus to discuss the limitations of the current studies and suggest future directions. Further characterization of the sensitivity and specificity of the oral microbiome as a potential risk prediction or prevention marker of BE is critical, which will help develop noninvasive early detection methods for BE, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and other esophageal diseases.

Esophageal Columnar Metaplasia in Childhood: A Population-Based Case Series Analysis

BACKGROUND

Adults with Barrett's esophagus (BE) are often entered into surveillance for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), although cancer risk is relatively low. BE can be detected in children (< 16 years). Little is known about the epidemiology of pediatric BE, and it is unclear what the optimal surveillance regimes are in children.

AIM

To evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics, and future neoplastic progression risk in all pediatric BE patients diagnosed in Northern Ireland between 1993 and 2010.

METHODS

Data from the population-based Northern Ireland BE register were matched to the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry for EAC outcomes until end 2013. Age-adjusted incidence of pediatric BE was calculated, and characteristics between pediatric and adult BE patients compared using Chi-square tests.

RESULTS

Over 18 years, 42 pediatric BE patients (< 16 years) were identified, equivalent to an age-adjusted incidence of < 2 per 100,000 children. There was a clear age differential, with BE incidence increasing with age within the pediatric population. The majority (85.7%) of patients were male, a significantly higher male/female ratio than adult BE patients (p < 0.001). No pediatric BE patients progressed to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or EAC, although the eldest patient was aged 34 years by the end of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest series of pediatric BE ever reported. It demonstrates that pediatric BE is rare. The male preponderance of this condition is more apparent in childhood compared with adult cases. No children developed HGD/EAC during follow-up, suggesting that regular surveillance is not required, at least until adulthood.

Does Risk of Progression from Barrett's Esophagus to Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Change Based on the Number of Non-dysplastic Endoscopies?

BACKGROUND

There is a large Barrett's esophagus patient population undergoing endoscopic surveillance. Methods to stratify patients into higher and lower risk groups may enable more varied surveillance intervals for patients with non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus that could optimize use of endoscopy resources.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to assess whether risk of progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma differed in patients with multiple endoscopic biopsies negative for dysplasia.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study among individuals from the population-based Northern Ireland Barrett's register with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus (with intestinal metaplasia) between 1993 and 2010, who had at least one endoscopic biopsy conducted at least 12 months after diagnosis. We used Poisson regression to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between number of successive endoscopies showing non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus and risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma alone, and combined with high-grade dysplasia, at the next endoscopy.

RESULTS

We identified 1761 individuals who met our eligibility criteria. Subsequent risk of progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma was lower at the next endoscopy following two endoscopies showing non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus (IRR 0.26, 95% CI 0.10-0.66) than following one endoscopy showing non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus. Similar findings were apparent for risk of progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma or high-grade dysplasia (IRR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22-0.79).

CONCLUSION

The lower risk of malignant progression in individuals with persistent non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus over two consecutive endoscopic biopsies but not for longer term persistence does not support hypotheses of persistence being an indicator of less biologically aggressive lesions. Instead, the initial difference may be attributable to post-endoscopy cancers and support the necessity of adhering to robust quality standards for endoscopic procedures.

Low Risk of Progression of Barrett's Esophagus to Neoplasia in Women

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Men are at a higher risk for Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), but little is known about BE progression to dysplasia and EAC in women. We performed a retrospective, multicenter cohort study to assess risk of BE progression to dysplasia and EAC in women compared with men. We also investigated comorbidities, medication use, and endoscopic features that contribute to sex differences in risk of BE progression.

METHODS

We collected data from large cohort of patients with BE seen at 6 centers in the United States and Europe, followed for a median 5.7 years. We obtained demographic information (age, sex, ethnicity), clinical history (tobacco use, body mass index, comorbidities), endoscopy results (procedure date, BE segment length), and histopathology findings. Neoplasia was graded as low-grade dysplasia, high-grade dysplasia (HGD), or EAC. Rates of disease progression between women and men were compared using χ2 analysis and the Student t test. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between sex and disease progression after adjusting for possible confounding variables.

RESULTS

Of the total 4263 patients in the cohort, 2145 met the inclusion criteria, including 324 (15%) women. There was a total of 34 (1.6%) incident EACs, with an overall annual incidence of 0.3% (95% confidence interval: 0.2%-0.4%). We found significant differences between women and men in annual incidence rates of EAC (0.05% for women vs. 0.3% in men; P=0.04) and in the combined endpoint of HGD or EAC (0.1% for women vs. 1.1% for men; P<0.001). Female gender was an independent predictor for reduced progression to HGD or EAC when rates of progression were adjusted for body mass index, smoking history, race, use of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, proton-pump inhibitors, or statins, hypertriglyceridemia, BE length, and histology findings at baseline (hazard ratio: 0.11; 95% confidence interval: 0.03-0.45; P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

In a multicenter study of men versus women with BE, we found a significantly lower risk of disease progression to cancer and HGD in women. The extremely low risk of EAC in women with BE (0.05%/y) indicates that surveillance endoscopy may not be necessary for this subgroup of patients with BE.

Evolving therapies in advanced oesophago-gastric cancers and the increasing role of immunotherapy

INTRODUCTION

Esophagogastric cancers remain a considerable health burden and among the top causes of global cancer-related deaths. Chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of treatment for patients with advanced disease. Doublet platinum/fluoropyrimidine therapy is established as first-line treatment with the option of adding a taxane in selected patients. Irinotecan, taxanes, and ramucirumab are approved as second-line treatments. Results from the trials KEYNOTE-059, ATTRACTION-2, and TAGS have established the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors and trifluridine/tipiracil as a third-line treatment. High PD-L1 expression, microsatellite instability, tumor mutational burden, and Epstein-Barr virus status may also be used to enrich for responses to immunotherapy.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we discuss the outcome of recent trials in the later lines of therapy for esophagogastric cancer and place these in the context of current treatment paradigms. We also discuss the biology of esophagogastric cancers and how this might inform the development of new treatments. Finally, we comment on promising new drugs in development.

EXPERT OPINION

Recent advances in the treatment of chemo-refractory esophagogastric cancer add to the improving survival of patients with this disease. Further research is needed to improve patient selection to therapies and the earlier incorporation of these agents in the treatment journey.

Epidemiology of Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: Implications for Screening and Surveillance

In the United States, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma increased markedly since the 1970s with a recent stabilization. Despite evolving screening and surveillance strategies to diagnose, risk triage, and intervene in Barrett's esophagus patients to prevent esophageal adenocarcinoma, most cases present with advanced disease and poor resultant survival. Epidemiologic studies have identified the main risk factors for these conditions, including increasing age, male sex, white race, gastroesophageal reflux disease, abdominal obesity, cigarette smoking, and lack of infection with Helicobacter pylori. This review summarizes the current epidemiologic evidence with implications for screening and surveillance in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Endoscopic Eradication Therapy for Barrett's Neoplasia: Where Do We Stand a Decade Later?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the only known precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a cancer associated with increasing incidence and poor survival. Early identification and effective treatment of BE-related neoplasia prior to the development of invasive adenocarcinoma are essential to limiting the morbidity and mortality associated with this cancer. In this review, we summarized the recent evidence guiding endoscopic eradication therapies (EET) for neoplastic BE.

RECENT FINDINGS

New sampling technologies and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) systems have potential to revolutionize early neoplasia detection in BE. EET for BE are safe and effective in achieving complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CE-IM) and reducing the progression to EAC, a practice endorsed by all GI society guidelines. EET should be considered in patients with high-grade dysplasia (HGD), intramucosal carcinoma (IMC), and select cases with low-grade dysplasia (LGD). The increasing use of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the West may allow EET of select cases with submucosal EAC. Post-EET surveillance strategies will continue to evolve as knowledge of specific risk factors and long-term neoplasia recurrence rates improve. In the last decade, major advancements in EET for neoplastic BE have been achieved. These now represent the standard of care in the management of BE-related dysplasia and intramucosal cancer.

The global prevalence of Barrett's esophagus: A systematic review of the published literature

BACKGROUND

Determining the prevalence of Barrett's esophagus is important for defining screening strategies. We aimed to synthesize the available data, determine Barrett's esophagus prevalence, and assess variability.

METHODS

Three databases were searched. Subgroup, sensitivity, and meta-regression analyses were conducted and pooled prevalence was computed.

RESULTS

Of 3510 studies, 103 were included. In the general population, we estimated a prevalence for endoscopic suspicion of Barrett's esophagus of (a) any length with histologic confirmation of intestinal metaplasia as 0.96% (95% confidence interval: 0.85-1.07), (b) ≥1 cm of length with histologic confirmation of intestinal metaplasia as 0.96% (95% confidence interval: 0.75-1.18) and (c) for any length with histologic confirmation of columnar metaplasia as 3.89% (95% confidence interval: 2.25-5.54) . By excluding studies with high-risk of bias, the prevalence decreased to: (a) 0.70% (95% confidence interval: 0.61-0.79) and (b) 0.82% (95% confidence interval: 0.63-1.01). In gastroesophageal reflux disease patients, we estimated the prevalence with afore-mentioned criteria to be: (a) 7.21% (95% confidence interval: 5.61-8.81) (b) 6.72% (95% confidence interval: 3.61-9.83) and (c) 7.80% (95% confidence interval: 4.26-11.34). The Barrett's esophagus prevalence was significantly influenced by time period, region, Barrett's esophagus definition, Seattle protocol, and study design. There was a significant gradient East-West and North-South. There were minimal to no data available for several countries. Moreover, there was significant heterogeneity between studies.

CONCLUSION

There is a need to reassess the true prevalence of Barrett's esophagus using the current guidelines in most regions. Having knowledge about the precise Barrett's esophagus prevalence, diverse attitudes from educational to screening programs could be taken.

The role of esophagectomy in the management of Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia

Barrett's esophagus (BE) with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) has previously been a routine indication for esophagectomy. Recent advances in endoscopic therapy have resulted in a shift away from surgery. Current international guidelines recommend endoscopic therapy for BE with HGD irrespective of recurrence or progression of dysplasia. Current guidelines do not address the ongoing role of esophagectomy as an adjunct in the setting of failed endoscopic therapy. This review examines the role of esophagectomy as an adjunct to endoscopy in the management of patients with BE and HGD, with a specific focus on patients with persistent, progressive, or recurrent disease, disease resistant to endoscopic therapy, in patients with concomitant esophageal pathology, and in those patients in whom lifelong surveillance may not be possible or desired.

Approach to the Post-Ablation Barrett's Esophagus Patient

Because of the rising incidence and lethality of esophageal adenocarcinoma, Barrett's esophagus (BE) is an increasingly important premalignant target for cancer prevention. BE-associated neoplasia can be safely and effectively treated with endoscopic eradication therapy (EET), incorporating tissue resection and ablation. Because EET has proliferated, managing patients after complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia has taken on increasing importance. Recurrence after complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia occurs in 8%-10% of the patients yearly, and the incidence may remain constant over time. Most recurrences occur at the gastroesophageal junction, whereas those in the tubular esophagus are endoscopically visible and distally located. A simplified biopsy protocol limited to the distal aspect of the BE segment, in addition to gastroesophageal junction sampling, may enhance efficiency and cost without significantly reducing recurrence detection. Similarly, research suggests that current surveillance intervals may be excessively frequent, failing to reflect the cancer risk reduction of EET. If validated, longer surveillance intervals could reduce the burden of resource-intensive endoscopic surveillance. Several important questions in post-EET management remain unanswered, including surveillance duration, the significance of gastric cardia intestinal metaplasia, and the role of advanced imaging and nonendoscopic sampling techniques in detecting recurrence. These merit further research to enhance quality of care and promote a more evidence-based approach.

Histopathologist features predictive of diagnostic concordance at expert level among a large international sample of pathologists diagnosing Barrett's dysplasia using digital pathology

OBJECTIVE

Guidelines mandate expert pathology review of Barrett's oesophagus (BO) biopsies that reveal dysplasia, but there are no evidence-based standards to corroborate expert reviewer status. We investigated BO concordance rates and pathologist features predictive of diagnostic discordance.

DESIGN

Pathologists (n=51) from over 20 countries assessed 55 digitised BO biopsies from across the diagnostic spectrum, before and after viewing matched p53 labelling. Extensive demographic and clinical experience data were obtained via online questionnaire. Reference diagnoses were obtained from a review panel (n=4) of experienced Barrett's pathologists.

RESULTS

We recorded over 6000 case diagnoses with matched demographic data. Of 2805 H&E diagnoses, we found excellent concordance (>70%) for non-dysplastic BO and high-grade dysplasia, and intermediate concordance for low-grade dysplasia (42%) and indefinite for dysplasia (23%). Major diagnostic errors were found in 248 diagnoses (8.8%), which reduced to 232 (8.3%) after viewing p53 labelled slides. Demographic variables correlating with diagnostic proficiency were analysed in multivariate analysis, which revealed that at least 5 years of professional experience was protective against major diagnostic error for H&E slide review (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.74). Working in a non-teaching hospital was associated with increased odds of major diagnostic error (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.69); however, this was neutralised when pathologists viewed p53 labelled slides. Notably, neither case volume nor self-identifying as an expert predicted diagnostic proficiency. Extrapolating our data to real-world case prevalence suggests that 92.3% of major diagnostic errors are due to overinterpreting non-dysplastic BO.

CONCLUSION

Our data provide evidence-based criteria for diagnostic proficiency in Barrett's histopathology.

Esophageal Cancer: An Updated Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Database Analysis

Background

Esophageal cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the eighth most common cancer worldwide with a 5-year survival rate of less than 25%. Here we report the incidence, risk factors and treatment options that are available currently, and moving into the future.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database made available by the National Cancer Institute in the USA. Specifically we extracted data from the years 2004 - 2015.

Results

In total we identified 23,804 patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma and 13,919 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Males were at an increased risk of developing both types of esophageal cancer when compared to females. Most cases of adenocarcinoma were diagnosed as poorly differentiated grade III (42%), and most cases of squamous cell carcinoma were diagnosed as moderately differentiated grade II (39.5%). The most common stage of presentation for both adenocarcinoma (36.9%) and squamous cell (26.8%) carcinoma was stage IV. The worst outcomes for adenocarcinoma were noted with grade III tumors (hazard ratio (HR): 1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44 - 1.68, P value: < 0.01), stage IV tumors (HR: 3.58, 95% CI: 3.33 - 3.85, P value: < 0.01) and those not treated with surgery (HR: 2.54, 95% CI: 2.44 - 2.65, P value: < 0.01). For squamous cell carcinoma, the worst outcomes were noted with grade III tumors (HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.23 - 1.49, P value: < 0.01), stage IV tumors (HR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.94 - 2.32, P value: <0.01).

Conclusions

The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in the USA is steadily on the rise. Conversely, the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma has been continually declining. While white males had an increased incidence of both types of esophageal cancer, a higher proportion of African Americans suffered from squamous cell carcinoma. Despite the wide spread use of proton pump inhibitors, adenocarcinoma continues to be a major public health concern.

Diabetes in relation to Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinomas of the esophagus: A pooled study from the International Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Consortium

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is positively associated with various cancers, but its relationship with tumors of the esophagus/esophagogastric junction remains unclear.

METHODS

Data were harmonized across 13 studies in the International Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Consortium, comprising 2309 esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) cases, 1938 esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (EGJA) cases, 1728 Barrett's esophagus (BE) cases, and 16,354 controls. Logistic regression was used to estimate study-specific odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for self-reported diabetes in association with EA, EGJA, and BE. Adjusted ORs were then combined using random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Diabetes was associated with a 34% increased risk of EA (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.00-1.80; I2  = 48.8% [where 0% indicates no heterogeneity, and larger values indicate increasing heterogeneity between studies]), 27% for EGJA (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05-1.55; I2  = 0.0%), and 30% for EA/EGJA combined (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.06-1.58; I2  = 34.9%). Regurgitation symptoms modified the diabetes-EA/EGJA association (P for interaction = .04) with a 63% increased risk among participants with regurgitation (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.19-2.22), but not among those without regurgitation (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.74-1.43). No consistent association was found between diabetes and BE.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes was associated with increased EA and EGJA risk, which was confined to individuals with regurgitation symptoms. Lack of an association between diabetes and BE suggests that diabetes may influence progression of BE to cancer.

Substantial Interobserver Agreement in the Diagnosis of Dysplasia in Barrett Esophagus Upon Review of a Patient's Entire Set of Biopsies

The pathologic diagnosis of dysplasia in Barrett esophagus (BE) suffers from interobserver disagreement. Many of the studies demonstrating disagreement in the diagnosis of dysplasia have pathologists review individual biopsy slides in isolation. To more closely mimic daily practice, 3 pathologists reviewed hematoxylin and eosin slides made from 549 individual biopsy jars obtained from 129 unique patients with a diagnosis of BE. Each pathologist reviewed the entirety of a given patient's biopsy material. The grade of dysplasia present in each biopsy jar was given as well as an overall highest grade of dysplasia from the patient's entire set of biopsies. The interobserver agreement in the diagnosis of dysplasia per biopsy jar and per patient's set of biopsies was measured by Fleiss κ statistic for multiple raters. The κ values for each diagnosis was higher in the per patient analysis compared with the per biopsy jar analysis indicating that pathologists are more likely to agree on the overall grade of dysplasia compared with the grade in an individual biopsy jar. In the per patient analysis, the interobserver agreement in the diagnosis of nondysplastic BE and high-grade dysplasia were substantial (κ=0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56-0.76 and κ=0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.86, respectively). The interobserver agreement in the diagnosis of low-grade dysplasia (LGD) was fair (κ=0.31; 95% CI, 0.21-0.42). When LGD and high-grade dysplasia were collapsed into 1 category of positive for dysplasia, the interobserver agreement in the per patient analysis remained substantial (κ=0.70; 95% CI, 0.60-0.80), suggesting that much of the disagreement in LGD is not due to lack of recognition of dysplastic Barrett's mucosa, but rather the degree of dysplasia. These results indicate that pathologists can reliably distinguish between nondysplastic BE and dysplastic BE when a patient's entire set of biopsies is reviewed as a group. When second opinions are obtained, all available slides from that endoscopic procedure should be sent for review.

In-vivo Barrett's esophagus digital pathology stage classification through feature enhancement of confocal laser endomicroscopy

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a premalignant condition that has an increased risk to turn into esophageal adenocarcinoma. Classification and staging of the different changes (BE in particular) in the esophageal mucosa are challenging since they have a very similar appearance. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is one of the newest endoscopy tools that is commonly used to identify the pathology type of the suspected area of the esophageal mucosa. However, it requires a well-trained physician to classify the image obtained from CLE. An automatic stage classification of esophageal mucosa is presented. The proposed model enhances the internal features of CLE images using an image filter that combines fractional integration with differentiation. Various features are then extracted on a multiscale level, to classify the mucosal tissue into one of its four types: normal squamous (NS), gastric metaplasia (GM), intestinal metaplasia (IM or BE), and neoplasia. These sets of features are used to train two conventional classifiers: support vector machine (SVM) and random forest. The proposed method was evaluated on a dataset of 96 patients with 557 images of different histopathology types. The SVM classifier achieved the best performance with 96.05% accuracy based on a leave-one-patient-out cross-validation. Additionally, the dataset was divided into 60% training and 40% testing; the model achieved an accuracy of 93.72% for the testing data using the SVM. The presented model showed superior performance when compared with four state-of-the-art methods. Accurate classification is essential for the intestinal metaplasia grade, which most likely develops into esophageal cancer. Not only does our method come to the aid of physicians for more accurate diagnosis by acting as a second opinion, but it also acts as a training method for junior physicians who need practice in using CLE. Consequently, this work contributes to an automatic classification that facilitates early intervention and decreases samples of required biopsy.

Safety and Acceptability of Esophageal Cytosponge Cell Collection Device in a Pooled Analysis of Data From Individual Patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Diagnosis and surveillance of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) have become emerging public health issues. Cytosponge is a novel, minimally invasive esophageal cell collection device. We aimed to assess the data on safety and acceptability of this device.

METHODS

We performed a patient-level review of 5 prospective trials assessing Cytosponge performance in patients with reflux disease, BE and EoE in primary and secondary care. Acceptability of Cytosponge and subsequent endoscopy were recorded with visual analogue scale (VAS), wherein 0 and 10 denoted lowest and highest acceptability. Median VAS scores were compared using a Mann-Whitney test. The number of attempts, failures in swallowing the device and occurrence of adverse events were analyzed. Risk factors for failure in swallowing were analyzed using a multivariate regression model.

RESULTS

In total, 2672 Cytosponge procedures were performed, in 2418 individuals from 2008 through 2017. There were 2 adverse events related to the device: a minor pharyngeal bleed and a case of detachment (<1:2000). The median acceptability score for the Cytosponge was 6.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 5.0-8.0), which was higher than the score for endoscopy without sedation (median 5.0; IQR, 3.0-7.0; P < .001) and lower than the score for endoscopy with sedation (median 8.0; IQR, 5.0-9.0; P < .001). Nearly all patients (91.1%) successfully swallowed the Cytosponge, most on the first attempt (90.1%). Failure to swallow the device was more likely to occur in secondary care (odds ratio, 5.13; 95% CI, 1.48-17.79; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

The Cytosponge test is a safe procedure with good acceptability ratings in a variety of health care settings.

Increasing prevalence of high-grade dysplasia and adenocarcinoma on index endoscopy in Barrett's esophagus over the past 2 decades: data from a multicenter U.S. consortium

INTRODUCTION

Data on time trends of dysplasia and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in Barrett's esophagus (BE) during the index endoscopy (ie, prevalent cases) are limited. Our aim was to determine the prevalence patterns of BE-associated dysplasia on index endoscopy over the past 25 years.

METHODS

The Barrett's Esophagus Study is a multicenter outcome project of a large cohort of patients with BE. Proportions of patients with index endoscopy findings of no dysplasia (NDBE), low-grade dysplasia (LGD), high-grade dysplasia (HGD), and EAC were extracted per year of index endoscopy, and 5-yearly patient cohorts were tabulated over years 1990 to 2010+ (2010-current). Prevalent dysplasia and endoscopic findings were trended over the past 25 years using percentage dysplasia (LGD, HGD, EAC, and HGD/EAC) to assess changes in detection of BE-associated dysplasia over the last 25 years. Statistical analysis was done using SAS version 9.4 software (SAS, Cary, NC).

RESULTS

A total of 3643 patients were included in the analysis with index endoscopy showing NDBE in 2513 (70.1%), LGD in 412 (11.5%), HGD in 193 (5.4%), and EAC in 181 (5.1%). Over time, there was an increase in the mean age of patients with BE (51.7 ± 29 years vs 62.6 ± 11.3 years) and the proportion of males (84% vs 92.6%) diagnosed with BE but a decrease in the mean BE length (4.4±4.3 cm vs 2.9±3.0 cm) as time progressed (1990-1994 to 2010-2016 time periods). The presence of LGD on index endoscopy remained stable over 1990 to 2016. However, a significant increase (148% in HGD and 112% in EAC) in the diagnosis of HGD, EAC, and HGD/EAC was noted on index endoscopy over the last 25 years (P < .001). There was also a significant increase in the detection of visible lesions on index endoscopy (1990-1994, 5.1%; to 2005-2009, 6.3%; and 2010+, 16.3%) during the same period.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that the prevalence of HGD and EAC has significantly increased over the past 25 years despite a decrease in BE length during the same period. This increase parallels an increase in the detection of visible lesions, suggesting that a careful examination at the index examination is crucial.

'Missed' oesophageal adenocarcinoma and high-grade dysplasia in Barrett's oesophagus patients: A large population-based study

BACKGROUND

A systematic review suggests that 25% of oesophageal adenocarcinomas (OAC) are 'missed' at index endoscopy for Barrett's oesophagus (BO); however, this included few population-based studies and may be an overestimate.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this article is to quantify the 'missed' rates of high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and OAC at index BO endoscopy.

METHODS

Patients from the Northern Ireland BO register diagnosed between 1993 and 2010 (n = 13,159) were linked to the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry to identify patients who developed OAC or HGD. Logistic regression analysis compared characteristics of 'missed' vs 'incident' HGD/OAC, defined as diagnoses within 3-12 months vs >1 year after incident BO, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 267 patients were diagnosed with HGD/OAC ≥3 months after BO diagnosis, of whom 34 (12.7%) were potentially 'missed'. The proportion of 'missed' HGD/OAC was 25% among BO patients with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) and 9% among non-dysplastic BO patients. Older age and BO-LGD carried a higher risk of 'missed' HGD/OAC. Non-dysplastic BO patients were more often diagnosed with a 'missed' OAC (rather than HGD; 89%), compared with BO-LGD patients (40%).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one in 10 HGD/OAC cases are 'missed' at incident BO diagnosis, which is significant but lower than previous reports. However, 'missed' HGD/OAC cases represent only 0.26% of all BO patients.

The Epidemiology of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has increased in many Western countries and is higher in men than women. Some risk factors for EAC have been identified-mainly gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett's esophagus, obesity, and tobacco smoking. It is not clear whether interventions to address these factors can reduce risk of EAC, although some evidence exists for smoking cessation. Although consumption of alcohol is not associated with EAC risk, other exposures, such as physical activity, nutrition, and medication use, require further study. Genetic variants have been associated with risk for EAC, but their overall contribution is low. Studies are needed to investigate associations between risk factors and the molecular subtypes of EAC. The prognosis for patients with EAC has slightly improved, but remains poor-screening and surveillance trials of high-risk individuals are needed.

Natural History of Barrett's Esophagus

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a very common condition. We have obtained fairly profound knowledge of the natural history of this condition. This results from many cross-sectional and cohort studies, many describing patients undergoing long-term surveillance. Their consent to use their clinical data has improved our knowledge to the benefit of these same and other patients. The prevalence of BE increases with age both in men and in women. This increase starts at a younger age in men than in women. The incidence of high-grade dysplasia and cancer in BE depends on segment length, gender, and age. The latter two likely indicate the duration of the presence of BE in an individual patient. Other factors that influence the incidence of dysplasia and cancer are smoking behavior and use of certain medications such as PPIs, statins, and NSAIDs. Surveillance of BE and treatment of dysplasia can impact the incidence of and mortality due to esophageal adenocarcinoma. This is of major benefit to a subgroup of BE patients. The epidemiology and burden of disease ask for further efforts to develop targeted screening, surveillance, and intervention techniques in coming years.

Human papillomavirus does not play a role in the Barrett esophagus: a French cohort

The role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in Barrett's esophagus (BE) has been examined but remains unclear. The purpose of the study is to dispute the connection between HPV and BE in a prospective case-control study. Biopsies were performed above and inside the Barrett's segment for BE patients and in the distal third of the esophagus for control patients for histological interpretation and for virological analysis. Biopsies for virological analysis were placed in a virus transport medium and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Virological analysis involved real-time PCR using the SyBr® green protocol with modified SPF10 general primers. A total of 180 patients (119 control and 61 BE, respectively) were included. In BE patients, 31, 18, and 12 patients had, respectively, no dysplasia, low-grade dysplasia, and high grade dysplasia. Overall, nine were found to be HPV positive: five were control patients and four BE patients. HPV positive status was not associated with BE. No factors were associated with HPV, in particular the degree of BE dysplasia. HPV infection appears unlikely to be significant in the etiology of BE compared with control patients. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number NCT02549053).

Intratumoral lactate metabolism in Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma

Background

Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are cell membrane proteins which transport pyruvate, lactate and ketone bodies across the plasma membrane. MCTs are activated in various cancers, but their expression in esophageal adenocarcinoma is not known. The present study was conducted to elucidate the expression of MCTs in esophageal adenocarcinoma and its precursor lesions.

Results

Cytoplasmic MCT1, MCT4 and MTCO1 expression linearly increased from normal epithelium to Barrett's mucosa to dysplasia and cancer. Low cytoplasmic MCT1 expression associated with high T-class (P < 0.01), positive lymph node metastases (P < 0.05), positive distant metastases (P < 0.01) and high tumor stage (P < 0.01). High cytoplasmic MCT4 expression correlated significantly with positive distant metastases (P < 0.05). Both low MCT1 and high MCT4 histoscore predicted survival in univariate analysis (P < 0.01). MCT4 histoscore predicted survival in multivariate analysis (P = 0.043; HR 1.8 95%CI 1.0–3.1). MTCO1 expression was not correlated to clinicopathological variables or survival.

Materials and Methods

MCT1, MCT4 and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (MTCO1) expression were determined with immunohistochemistry in esophageal specimens from 129 patients with columnar dysplasia or adenocarcinoma. Specimens including normal esophagus (n = 88), gastric (n = 67) or intestinal metaplasia (n = 51), low-grade (n = 42), high-grade dysplasia (n = 37) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (n = 99) were evaluated.

Conclusions

Major increase in markers of tumor metabolism occurs during carcinogenesis and progression of esophageal adenocarcinoma. MCT1 and MCT4 are prognostic factors in esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Optimizing the diagnosis and therapy of Barrett's esophagus

The incidence of Barrett's esophagus (BE) in the Western world has increased over the last decades. BE is considered a premalignant lesion that can progress to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a highly aggressive malignancy with poor survival rates. The close association between BE and EAC highlights the need for an early diagnosis in order to improve survival and outcomes in this group of patients. Although the evidence for BE screening with conventional endoscopy is controversial and limited by cost-effectiveness studies, screening can be suggested in patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and two or more risk factors for EAC. Less invasive techniques with lower costs and higher acceptability by the patients may be useful for screening in the general population. Several novel techniques have been described to aid in the early diagnosis and management of BE and dysplasia. However, these techniques have shown variable results with higher costs, the need of specific training, and variable inter-observer imaging interpretation, making its widespread implementation problematic. High-definition/high-resolution white-light endoscopy (WLE) continues to be a well-accepted technique for the evaluation and surveillance of patients with BE. Further studies are required in order to establish the efficacy of less invasive methods that can be performed in an outpatient setting for BE screening in higher risk individuals.

Risk stratification for malignant progression in Barrett’s esophagus: Gender, age, duration and year of surveillance

AIM

To clarify risk based upon segment length, diagnostic histological findings, patient age and year of surveillance, duration of surveillance and gender.

METHODS

Patients registered with the United Kingdom Barrett’s Oesophagus Registry from 9 United Kingdom centers were included. The outcome measures were (1) development of all grades of dysplasia; (2) development of high-grade of dysplasia or adenocarcinoma; and (3) development of adenocarcinoma. Prevalent cases and subjects with < 1 year of follow-up were excluded. The covariates examined were segment length, previous biopsy findings, age at surveillance, duration of surveillance, year of surveillance and gender.

RESULTS

One thousand and one hundred thirty six patients were included (total 6474 patient-years). Fifty-four patients developed adenocarcinoma (0.83% per annum), 70 developed high-grade dysplasia/adenocarcinoma (1.1% per annum) and 190 developed any grade of dysplasia (3.5% per annum). High grade dysplasia and adenocarcinoma increased with age and duration of surveillance. The risk of low-grade dysplasia development was not dependent on age at surveillance. Segment length and previous biopsy findings were also significant factors for development of dysplasia and adenocarcinoma.

CONCLUSION

The risk of development of low-grade dysplasia is independent of age at surveillance, but high-grade dysplasia and adenocarcinoma were more commonly found at older age. Segment length and previous biopsy findings are also markers of risk. This study did not demonstrate stabilisation of the metaplastic segment with prolonged surveillance.

Potential Role of the Microbiome in Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Esophageal adenocarcinoma and its precursor Barrett's esophagus have been rapidly increasing in incidence for half a century, for reasons not adequately explained by currently identified risk factors such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and obesity. The upper gastrointestinal microbiome may represent another potential cofactor. The distal esophagus has a distinct microbiome of predominantly oral-derived flora, which is altered in Barrett's esophagus and reflux esophagitis. Chronic low-grade inflammation or direct carcinogenesis from this altered microbiome may combine with known risk factors to promote Barrett's metaplasia and progression to adenocarcinoma.

Adverse Events After Radiofrequency Ablation in Patients With Barrett's Esophagus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with or without endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is routinely used for treatment of Barrett's esophagus with dysplasia. Despite the relative safety of this method, there have been imprecise estimates of the rate of adverse events. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the rate of adverse events associated with RFA with and without EMR.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central through October 22, 2014. The primary outcome of interest was the overall rate of adverse events after RFA with or without EMR. We used forest plots to contrast effect sizes among studies.

RESULTS

Of 1521 articles assessed, 37 met our inclusion criteria (comprising 9200 patients). The pooled rate of all adverse events from RFA with or without EMR was 8.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.5%-11.9%); 5.6% of patients developed strictures (95% CI, 4.2%-7.4%), 1% had bleeding (95% CI, 0.8%-1.3%), and 0.6% developed a perforation (95% CI, 0.4%-0.9%). In studies that compared RFA with vs without EMR, the relative risk for adverse events was significantly higher for RFA with EMR (4.4) (P = .015). There was a trend toward higher proportions of adverse events in prospective studies compared with retrospective studies (11.3% vs 7.8%, P = .20). Other factors associated with adverse events included Barrett's esophagus and length and baseline histology.

CONCLUSIONS

In a systematic review and meta-analysis, we found the relative risk for adverse events from RFA to be about 4-fold higher with EMR than without; we identified factors associated with these events. Endoscopists should discuss these risks with patients before endoscopic eradication therapy.

Diagnosis and Surveillance of Barrett's Esophagus: Addressing the Transatlantic Divide

BACKGROUND

Barrett's esophagus is a premalignant condition of the esophagus leading to esophageal adenocarcinoma. No consensus exists between the UK and USA concerning the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus. Although the diagnostic procedure is common, the required findings and diagnostic criteria vary. Both guidelines require endoscopy showing columnar epithelia lining the esophagus, but the US guidelines require the additional finding of intestinal metaplasia on biopsy to confirm diagnosis. Achievement of a consensus is of particular importance due to the established progression from Barrett's esophagus to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Of further importance is the increasing incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma, a condition with poor overall survival, leading to various opinions on the utility of surveillance in patients.

DISCUSSION

A review of the vast array of literature revealed that substantial evidence exists in favor of both diagnostic criteria; hence, there is no easy way to identify the "correct" method of diagnosing Barrett's esophagus. USA recommends surveillance of Barrett's esophagus, whereas UK does not advocate it unless dysplasia is present. Surveillance was found to be effective, but this varied as did cost-effectiveness. Further research into diagnostic methods for Barrett's esophagus is needed to address areas of limited understanding, such that agreement can be reached and practice standardized. Surveillance was generally advocated, but with different criteria and time intervals, and new methods are being evaluated.

The Genetics of Barrett's Esophagus: A Familial and Population-Based Perspective

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is intestinal metaplasia of the lower esophagus and a precursor lesion for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Both are important health issues as they have rising incidences in the Western world. Improving the management of BE relies on understanding the underlying biology of this disease, but the exact biological mechanisms have been difficult to determine. BE is generally thought to be an acquired condition that develops secondarily to chronic gastroesophageal reflux. However, multiple reports of familial clustering of patients with BE and/or EAC suggest a possible inherited predisposition to BE may be driving this condition, at least in a subset of patients. Identifying the genetic variants that predispose to BE in these families would open up the possibility for blood-based screening tests that could inform decision-making in regard to surveillance strategies, particularly for relatives of patients with BE and/or EAC. Perhaps more importantly, understanding the genetic mechanisms that predispose to BE may provide valuable insights into the biology of this condition and potentially identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention. Here we review the current evidence for a genetic predisposition to BE and discuss the potential implications of these findings.

Adherence to WCRF/AICR lifestyle recommendations for cancer prevention and the risk of Barrett's esophagus onset and evolution to esophageal adenocarcinoma: results from a pilot study in a high-risk population

PURPOSE

While adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) guidelines on lifestyle and cancer was recently proven to be associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer, no investigation has yet been carried out on its role on Barrett's esophagus (BE) development and its progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the role of adherence to WCRF lifestyle recommendations in BE onset and progression. The secondary aim was to investigate the association between disease progression and specific aspects of diet and lifestyle.

METHODS

Established risk factors for BE and EAC development and adherence to WCRF guidelines were assessed in 107 consecutive patients undergoing an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for symptoms suggesting gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and a suspected diagnosis of BE/dysplasia on BE. Patients were divided according to histology: those with GERD without metaplasia, with non-dysplastic BE, with low-grade dysplasia, with high-grade dysplasia or with early EAC. The four groups were expressed as an ordered categorical variable of disease progression. An ordered logit model was estimated to identify the independent predictors of disease progression.

RESULTS

Adherence to WCRF guidelines was identified as independent protective factor (OR 0.51, 95 % CI 0.37-0.67) of disease progression. Disease progression was associated with reduced adherence to guidelines on physical activity (from 48.2 to 5.3 %, p = 0.001), sedentary habits (from 33.3 to 0 %, p = 0.03), fruit consumption (from 37.0 to 5.6 %, p = 0.02) and processed meat consumption (from 51.9 to 10.5 %, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Adherence to WCRF guidelines has a protective factor in BE onset and its evolution to EAC.

Risk factors for Barrett's esophagus: a scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Cancer of the esophagus is a highly lethal disease with many patients presenting with metastatic spread of their tumor at diagnosis; a consequence of this late presentation is the 5-year survival rate of <20 %. Barrett's esophagus (BE), a premalignant condition of the distal esophagus, is the main risk factor for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The development of a risk prediction tool that could assist healthcare professionals in identifying people at increased risk of developing BE would be advantageous. Understanding the factors that influence the risk of developing BE is the first stage of developing a risk prediction tool.

METHODS

A scoping review was undertaken to address the following question 'what factors influence the risk of developing Barrett's esophagus?' Forty-six articles were included in this review.

RESULTS

The majority of articles reviewed were case-control or cohort studies. Samples sizes ranged from 68 to 84,606. Risk factors reported to be statistically significant were divided into three categories: demographic, lifestyle and clinical factors. Strongest risk factors identified include: male gender, increasing age, white race, smoking, obesity and gastro-esophageal reflux disease symptoms, while some aspects of a person's diet appear to act as a protective measure.

CONCLUSION

Risk factors for BE are complex and need to be considered by healthcare professionals when identifying patients that could benefit from endoscopic eradication. These results provide a stepping stone for the future development of a risk prediction model.

Gender difference in gastro-esophageal reflux diseases

The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has risen sharply in western countries over the past 4 decades. This type of cancer is considered to follow a transitional process that goes from gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) to Barrett's esophagus (BE, a metaplastic condition of the distal esophagus), a precursor lesion and ultimately adenocarcinoma. This spectrum of GERD is strongly predominant in males due to an unidentified mechanism. Several epidemiologic studies have described that the prevalence of GERD, BE and EAC in women is closely related to reproductive status, which suggests a possible association with the estrogen level. Recently, we revealed in an in vivo study that the inactivation of mast cells by the anti-inflammatory function of estrogen may account for the gender difference in the GERD spectrum. Other studies have described the contribution of female steroid hormones to the gender difference in these diseases. Estrogen is reported to modulate the metabolism of fat, and obesity is a main risk factor of GERDs. Moreover, estrogen could confer esophageal epithelial resistance to causative refluxate. These functions of estrogen might explain the approximately 20-year delay in the incidence of BE and the subsequent development of EAC in women compared to men, and this effect may be responsible for the male predominance. However, some observational studies demonstrated that hormone replacement therapy exerts controversial effects in GERD patients. Nevertheless, the estrogen-related endocrine milieu may prevent disease progression toward carcinogenesis in GERD patients. The development of innovative alternatives to conventional acid suppressors may become possible by clarifying the mechanisms of estrogen.

Ghrelin and Leptin Have a Complex Relationship with Risk of Barrett's Esophagus

BACKGROUND

Abdominal obesity is a risk factor for Barrett's esophagus independent of GERD symptoms, but little is understood about the biological mechanisms between obesity and the carcinogenic pathway of esophageal adenocarcinoma.

AIMS

To evaluate whether ghrelin and leptin may partially explain the association between obesity and Barrett's esophagus.

METHODS

We conducted a case-control study using patients with a new diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus (cases) and two control groups frequency matched to cases for age, gender, and geographic region: (1) patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and (2) a sample of the general population. We generated odds ratios using logistic regressions to evaluate quartiles of serum ghrelin or serum leptin, adjusting for known risk factors for Barrett's esophagus. We evaluated potential interaction variables using cross products and ran stratified analyses to generate stratum-specific odds ratios.

RESULTS

A total of 886 participants were included in the analysis. Higher ghrelin concentrations were associated with an increased risk of Barrett's esophagus, when compared to the population controls, but not the GERD controls. Ghrelin concentrations were not associated with the frequency of GERD symptoms, but ghrelin's relationship with Barrett's esophagus varied significantly with the frequency of GERD symptoms. Leptin concentrations were positively associated with at least weekly GERD symptoms among the population controls and were inversely associated with Barrett's esophagus only among the GERD controls. Adjusting for waist circumference did not change the main associations.

CONCLUSION

Higher levels of ghrelin were associated with an increased risk of Barrett's esophagus among the general population. In contrast, leptin was positively associated with frequent GERD symptoms, but inversely associated with the risk of Barrett's esophagus among the GERD controls.

Barrett esophagus

Although there are many unanswered questions with Barrett esophagus, we can safely say that the incidence is increasing, chemoprevention strategies for the prevention of Barrett metaplasia and its progression to adenocarcinoma may be in the offing, surveillance should be considered for all patients who are discovered to have Barrett esophagus, RFA is the treatment of choice for those with HGD and strongly considered in those with LGD, EMR should be the treatment of choice for patients with nodular high-grade Barrett esophagus, and, finally, vagal-sparing esophagectomy reserved for patients with persistent HGD or a strong suspicion of carcinoma, with consideration of a concomitant fundoplication.

Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Gastroesophageal Reflux and the Risk of Barrett's Esophagus in a Population-Based Case-Control Study

Background

Gastroesophageal reflux is overrepresented in people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and it has been suggested that OSA worsens gastroesophageal reflux symptoms. Aggravated reflux might lead to an increased risk of Barrett’s esophagus.

Aim

To assess the association between sleep apnea symptoms and Barrett’s esophagus.

Methods

Included in a case-control study in Brisbane, Australia were 237 patients with histologically confirmed Barrett’s esophagus and 247 population controls. The controls were randomly selected from the electoral roll and frequency-matched to the cases by age and sex. Information on OSA symptoms (excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep related apnea symptoms), gastroesophageal reflux symptoms and anthropometric measures were collected through interviews and written questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression provided odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for potential confounding by BMI and gastroesophageal reflux.

Results

The prevalence of Barrett’s esophagus was higher among people with excessive daytime sleepiness than those without (24% vs. 18%; p-value 0.1142) and in participants with sleep-related apnea symptoms (20% vs. 13%; p-value 0.1730). However, there were non-significantly increased ORs of Barrett’s esophagus among people with excessive daytime sleepiness (OR 1.42, 95% CI 0.90–2.34) and sleep related apnea symptoms (OR 1.32, 95% CI 0.74–2.36) when adjusting for age, sex and BMI. After further adjustment for gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, the point ORs were no longer increased (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.61–1.70 for daytime sleepiness and OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.38–1.38 for sleep related apnea symptoms).

Conclusions

Symptoms of OSA are possibly associated with an increased risk of Barrett’s esophagus, an association that appears to be mediated entirely by gastroesophageal reflux.

Epidemiology of Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a disease with increasing burden in the Western world, especially in white men. Risk factors for BE include obesity, tobacco smoking, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). EAC is the most common form of esophageal cancer in the United States. Risk factors include GERD, tobacco smoking, and obesity, whereas nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and statins may be protective. Factors predicting progression from nondysplastic BE to EAC include dysplastic changes on esophageal histology and length of the involved BE segment. Biomarkers have shown promise, but none are approved for clinical use.

Upregulation of miR-494 Inhibits Cell Growth and Invasion and Induces Cell Apoptosis by Targeting Cleft Lip and Palate Transmembrane 1-Like in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Potential target genes of microRNA (miR)-494 have been reported in many types of cancers. However, the role of miR-494 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unknown.

AIM

This study focused on the expression and biological function of miR-494 in ESCC.

METHODS

Using bioinformatics analyses, we found that cleft lip and palate transmembrane 1-like (CLPTM1L) was a potential target of miR-494. We performed quantitative real-time (qRT) PCR assays in 37 ESCC tumor tissues to determine the expression of miR-494 and CLPTM1L mRNA, and we analyzed the correlation between both of these factors and clinical characteristics. The cell counting kit-8 and colony formation assays were used to evaluate the effects of miR-494 expression on the proliferation of ESCC cells. The transwell migration assay and flow cytometric apoptosis assay were performed to study the influence of miR-494 on the invasion and apoptosis of ESCC cells. Western blotting, luciferase assays, and CLPTM1L knockdown experiments were used to determine whether CLPTM1L was a target of miR-494.

RESULTS

The qRT-PCR assays showed significant downregulation of miR-494 (P < 0.05) and upregulation of CLPTM1L mRNA (P < 0.05), both of which were significantly associated with lymph node metastases (P < 0.05). High expression of miR-494 inhibited cell proliferation and invasion and promoted cell apoptosis (P < 0.05). The results also showed that CLPTM1L was a target of miR-494.

CONCLUSION

These results show that the expression of miR-494, which can regulate cell growth, invasion and apoptosis of ESCC cells by targeting CLPTM1L, is downregulated in ESCC tumor tissues. The miR-494-CLPTM1L pathway could be further exploited to develop a new approach to treat ESCC.

BOB CAT: A Large-Scale Review and Delphi Consensus for Management of Barrett's Esophagus With No Dysplasia, Indefinite for, or Low-Grade Dysplasia

OBJECTIVES

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a common premalignant lesion for which surveillance is recommended. This strategy is limited by considerable variations in clinical practice. We conducted an international, multidisciplinary, systematic search and evidence-based review of BE and provided consensus recommendations for clinical use in patients with nondysplastic, indefinite, and low-grade dysplasia (LGD).

METHODS

We defined the scope, proposed statements, and searched electronic databases, yielding 20,558 publications that were screened, selected online, and formed the evidence base. We used a Delphi consensus process, with an 80% agreement threshold, using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) to categorize the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations.

RESULTS

In total, 80% of respondents agreed with 55 of 127 statements in the final voting rounds. Population endoscopic screening is not recommended and screening should target only very high-risk cases of males aged over 60 years with chronic uncontrolled reflux. A new international definition of BE was agreed upon. For any degree of dysplasia, at least two specialist gastrointestinal (GI) pathologists are required. Risk factors for cancer include male gender, length of BE, and central obesity. Endoscopic resection should be used for visible, nodular areas. Surveillance is not recommended for <5 years of life expectancy. Management strategies for indefinite dysplasia (IND) and LGD were identified, including a de-escalation strategy for lower-risk patients and escalation to intervention with follow-up for higher-risk patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In this uniquely large consensus process in gastroenterology, we made key clinical recommendations for the escalation/de-escalation of BE in clinical practice. We made strong recommendations for the prioritization of future research.

Is Campylobacter to esophageal adenocarcinoma as Helicobacter is to gastric adenocarcinoma?

Esophageal adenocarcinoma develops through a cascade of cellular changes that shares similarities to the etiology of Helicobacter pylori-associated intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma. While host genetics and immune response have been implicated in the progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma, studies investigating esophageal microbial communities suggest that bacteria may also play an important role in driving the inflammation that leads to disease. Of these, emerging Campylobacter species have been found to be more prevalent and abundant in patients progressing through the esophageal adenocarcinoma cascade compared to controls. Given that these bacteria possess several virulence mechanisms such as toxin production, cellular invasion, and intracellular survival, emerging Campylobacter species should be investigated as etiological agents of the chronic esophageal inflammation that leads to cancer.