People with Barrett’s esophagus (a disease that occurs with prolonged gastroesophageal reflux disease or esophagitis) have an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer, a cancer treated only if it is detected early, according to the results of a study published in the medical journal Nature Communications. This risk is 100 times higher than for the general population. Researchers are developing a cell test capable of indicating whether these stomach pains or Barrett’s esophagus are at risk of developing into esophageal cancer.
A cell test to identify the risk of esophageal cancer
Researchers Queen Mary University in London (United Kingdom), the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and the University of Arizona in the United States followed more than 300 patients affected by the Barrett’s esophagus over three years, and analyzed approximately 50,000 cells in the process.
They performed genetic analysis of individual cells and measured genetic diversity in each lesion over time to identify markers of progression to esophageal cancer.
The results of the study showed that patients who display little genetic diversity in their cell samples are unlikely to progress to cancer.
The researchers will continue their research to set up a cell test capable of identifying this diversity which would make it possible to measure the risks of cancer in these patients and to adapt medical monitoring accordingly.
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