Esophageal cancer screening
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Esophageal cancer Microchapters |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Esophageal cancer screening On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Esophageal cancer screening |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Esophageal cancer screening |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Hadeel Maksoud M.D.[2]
Overview
Screening may be effective in reducing the incidence of esophageal cancer, especially with Barrett's esophagus-associated adenocarcinoma, however, not very cost effective.
Screening
Adenocarcinoma screening
- The predominant type of esophageal cancer in the United States is adenocarcinoma.
- Under current guidelines, random endoscopic biopsies are taken in all 4 quadrants with a high resolution endoscope.
- Dysplasia within lesions of Barrett's esophagus indicates a marked increase in cancer risk.
- It should be noted that those who presented with adenocarcinoma demonstrated no prior Barrett's esophagus in 80 - 90% of the time.
- Most dysplastic changes were found in 50 year old white men.
- In one study, the authors concluded that the only cost-effective strategy was once in a lifetime screening of 50-year-old white men with GERD, followed by surveillance of those with dysplasia only.
Squamous cell carcinoma screening
Since this type of esophageal cancer exists in the more underdeveloped countries, there is no reliable data to suggest that screening programs exist or that they are effective when implemented. However, it has been suggested that screening high risk populations may be of benefit in reducing the incidence of esophageal cancer.