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World J Gastroenterol. Aug 14, 2010; 16(30): 3743-3744
Published online Aug 14, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i30.3743
Published online Aug 14, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i30.3743
Gastroesophageal reflux disease: From heartburn to cancer
Marco G Patti, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
Irving Waxman, Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics (CERT), University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
Author contributions: Patti MG wrote the manuscript; Waxman I reviewed the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Marco G Patti, MD, Professor, Director, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, 5841 S. Maryland Ave, MC 5095, Room G-201, Chicago, IL 60637, United States. mpatti@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu
Telephone: +1-773-7024763 Fax: +1-773-7026120
Received: April 24, 2010
Revised: June 7, 2010
Accepted: June 14, 2010
Published online: August 14, 2010
Revised: June 7, 2010
Accepted: June 14, 2010
Published online: August 14, 2010
Core Tip
Gastroesophageal reflux disease affects an estimated 20% of the population in the United States. About 10%-15% of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease develop Barrett’s esophagus, which eventually can progress to adenocarcinoma, which is currently the fastest growing cancer in the United States. It is recognized that adenocarcinoma is in most cases the end stage of a sequence of events whereby the squamous esophageal epithelium is initially replaced by columnar epithelium without dysplasia. Subsequently, the metaplastic epithelium can progress to low- and high-grade dysplasia and eventually cancer[1-3].