New Guidelines for Treating Barrett’s esophagus

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has released new guidelines to recommend the use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to treat and remove precancerous cells in people who have Barrett’s esophagus, which is a condition caused by Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Two million Americans are affected by Barrett’s esophagus and it’s the leading cause of esophageal cancer. Previously, people who had Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and related heartburn symptoms where traditionally treated through a “watch and wait” method.

Common symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) include trouble swallowing, regurgitation, and frequent heartburn, which arise due to stomach contents being splashed back up into the esophagus. Repeated acid washing may damage healthy cells in the esophagus, sometimes leading to Barrett’s esophagus. Although Barrett’s esophagus is a precancerous condition, the risk of developing cancer is still present.

RFA essentially eliminates Barrett’s esophagus in about 90 to 100 percent of patients by burning the layers of abnormal cells. According to industry experts, early RFA treatment may reduce a patients’ risk of developing cancer, while contributing to a lower growth rate of esophageal cancer. RFA is performed by taking an endoscopy instrument (flexible tube) and inserting it into the esophagus to the treatment area; any suspicious lesions or biopsies can be taken at that time. The new guidelines from AGA advise that RFA treatment be used on patients who have low to high grade dysplasia and high-risk patients who don’t have dysplastic cells.

Speak to your Dallas, Fort Worth physician to see if you are a radiofrequency ablation candidate.