[Barrett's adenocarcinoma]

Esophageal adenocarcinoma has seen a rapid increase in incidence throughout the Western world. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is an important risk factor for this cancer that develops in patients with Barrett's esophagus, but infection with Helicobacter pylori may reduce the risk. The diagnosis of Barrett's adenocarcinoma is often at an advanced stage and is generally associated with a poor prognosis. Several innovative techniques (eg, chromoendoscopy, magnifying endoscopy, and narrow-band imaging) have recently been developed to improve the accuracy of diagnosis. Although surgical resection has been a mainstream treatment for advanced cancer, endoscopic submucosal dissection is becoming a promising treatment procedure for mucosal cancer. Surveillance, endoscopic ablative therapies, chemoprevention, and anti-reflux surgery have been developed for cancer prevention, but are of unproven value. Further evaluation is warranted to define the optimal method and standardize the procedures for diagnosis and management of Barrett's esophagus.