Barrett's Esophagus and Dysplasia

Barrett’s esophagus is a serious complication of GERD, occurring in about 15 percent of people with chronic GERD symptoms. It's a condition where the cells of the esophagus change to be more like those of the small intestine and indicates disease progression. Patients with Barrett’s esophagus should be checked regularly for precancerous or cancer cells in the esophagus.

Esophageal Dysplasia (low-grade and high grade) is when the cells composing the esophageal lining have mutated into a pre-cancerous state and indicate disease. Those with dysplasia should be monitored closely and should consider therapeutic intervention to prevent the development of esophageal cancer.