Reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is still an important clinical problem. Continuing efforts are being made to establish a classification of the condition that would allow improved communications for both clinical and research purposes. In medical treatment, the trends are toward proton-pump inhibitor therapy at all stages of GERD, calling into question the role of endoscopy for tailoring individual therapy. Arguments against the use of H. pylori eradication therapy in GERD have gained importance. Surgeons are continuing to report excellent results with fundoplication, but careful studies are needed to prove whether antireflux surgery is really capable of saving costs, as its proponents claim. Barrett's esophagus is still a topic of lively interest. Since there is no method of primary prevention, endoscopy has a crucial role in detecting affected patients and guiding them toward one of the various surveillance strategies--which are not yet clearly established. The debate over short-segment Barrett's esophagus, and especially over "microscopic" Barrett's esophagus (at the squamocolumnar junction), has not yet been resolved. However, there is now less doubt that GERD is a condition associated with a substantially higher risk for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Given this risk of malignant transformation, there is continuing competition between different ablation techniques; however, careful data from much larger populations will be needed before ablation reaches the stage of broad clinical application. Until specific guidelines become available, patients with Barrett's esophagus should receive endoscopic follow-up until it can be ascertained which individuals are at risk for cancer and require ablation of Barrett's mucosa.