Barrett's Esophagus is a pre-cancerous
condition arising in 10-20% of people with chronic reflux of stomach
contents into the esophagus. People who develop Barrett's esophagus may
have symptoms of heartburn, indigestion, difficulty swallowing solid
foods, or nocturnal regurgitation that awakens them from sleep. Patients
with Barrett's esophagus have an increased risk of developing esophageal
adenocarcinoma, the most rapidly increasing cancer in the United States.
The Seattle Barrett's Esophagus Research Program uses
a multidisciplinary approach that includes:
- An experienced clinical
team that has been caring for patients with Barrett's esophagus
since 1983;
- A laboratory team that is investigating the genetic
and cell cycle abnormalities that lead to cancer in Barrett's
esophagus;
- Epidemiologists
who are investigating environmental risk factors that
may cause Barrett's esophagus and cancer;
- Dietary assessment researchers;
- Evolutionary biologists who study the
way Barrett's cells adapt and progress to cancer;
- Computational scientists who
model complex biological changes that occur in the progression
of Barrett's esophagus and;
- Biostatisticians who design studies,
and monitor / analyze study results.
The Seattle Barrett's Esophagus Research Program is
dedicated to improving the lives of people who have
Barrett's esophagus.
We are committed to understanding the genetic mechanisms and environmental
risk factors that ultimately result in cancer of the esophagus, and identifying
intermediate genetic markers that will allow for the early identification
of patients at an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer so that
the cancer can be prevented or detected when it is early and the patient
can be cured. Equally important, we are commited to identifying people
whose risk of progression to cancer is low so that they can be reassured
of their low risk. The Seattle Barrett's Esophagus Research Program has
shown that a systematic, multidisciplinary approach designed to detect
cancers arising in Barrett's esophagus when they are small and curable
can improve the five-year cure rate for patients who develop esophageal
adenocarcinoma by a factor greater than twenty.
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