‘Heartburn can cause cancer’: Raise awareness for esophageal cancer with periwinkle blue
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month; to help raise awareness, the Esophageal Cancer Action Network has hosted various events throughout the month and is offering kits for individuals to host their own events to celebrate.
Periwinkle blue is the color for esophageal cancer awareness, which is why the Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN) is hosting “Paint the Map Periwinkle,” where participants are encouraged to put a pin on a virtual map and share photos or videos of awareness events in their area. Additionally, the organization offers apparel and other merchandise in periwinkle with the “lifesaving” message: Heartburn can cause cancer.
ECAN provides directions to a downloadable guide with resources about esophageal cancer and offers individuals a way to advocate for continued funding for esophageal cancer research by contacting representatives in Congress.
Healio has been following the latest news and research about esophageal cancer. To help do our part to spread awareness, we have compiled a list of our recent esophageal cancer coverage as well as articles on other esophageal diseases or disorders that may lead to cancer.
Endoscopic surveillance reduces incidence of esophageal cancer in at-risk patients
Although individuals in China with low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia are at higher risk for developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, that risk can be reduced by more than 30% with surveillance endoscopy, according to research.
“Esophageal mild dysplasia or moderate dysplasia, namely, low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN), is the precursor lesion for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and patients with LGIN are recommended for endoscopic surveillance in the guidelines for ESCC screening and early detection and early treatment (EDET) in China,” He Li, MPH, of the Office of Cancer Screening at Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, and colleagues wrote in JAMA Network Open. “The primary aim of endoscopic surveillance in patients with LGIN is to reduce new esophageal cancer (EC)-related cases and deaths by detecting and treating premalignant lesions and early-stage asymptomatic EC. Read more.
Achalasia associated with five-fold higher risk for esophageal cancer
Achalasia was associated with an increased risk for esophageal cancer among a cohort of veterans, suggesting the need for increased endoscopic surveillance, according to a presenter at the ACG Annual Scientific Meeting.
“Achalasia is a postulated risk factor for esophageal cancer. The suggested cause of pathophysiology relates to stasis esophagitis,” Eric E. Low, MD, MPH, an internal medicine resident at the University of California, San Diego, said. “Esophageal cancer-associated risk and outcomes in individuals with achalasia have been understudied, and as such, there are no guidelines for surveillance endoscopy for those with achalasia.” Read more.
Increased rates of esophageal cancer, BE in middle-aged adults prompt concern
Between 2012 and 2019, esophageal cancer rates nearly doubled and prevalence of Barrett’s esophagus increased by 50% among adults aged 45 to 64 years, according to researchers.
“Esophageal cancer, unfortunately, is often a silent killer — there are minimal symptoms usually until somebody has advanced disease,” Bashar J. Qumseya, MD, MPH, FASGE, associate professor of medicine and chief of endoscopy at the University of Florida, Gainesville, said at a media briefing for Digestive Disease Week 2022. “While the prevalence of esophageal cancer and Barrett's esophagus is thought to have plateaued in recent years, our team wondered whether this apparent trend could be age-dependent.” Read more.
Random sampling of esophagogastric junction may be unnecessary following BE eradication
Follow-up esophagogastric junction sampling for intestinal metaplasia may not be necessary in patients after complete and successful eradication therapy for Barrett’s esophagus, researchers reported.
“Although indications and treatment protocol for [endoscopic eradication therapy] are well established, follow-up after successful treatment is less well defined,” C.N. Frederiks, MD, of the department of gastroenterology and hepatology at St. Antonius Hospital in the Netherlands, and colleagues wrote in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. “However, in the case of an endoscopically normal appearing esophagus, there is lack of consensus on the need for random biopsies from the esophagogastric junction.” Read more.
Signaling pathway ‘key needle within the haystack’ driving Barrett’s, esophageal cancer
Researchers have identified a cell signaling pathway involved in the development of Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma, which may lead to possible life-saving therapy for this aggressive cancer.
In a study published in Gastroenterology, Kishore Guda, DVM, PhD, associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and colleagues performed whole transcriptome RNA sequencing in primary Barrett’s esophagus (BE), esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), normal esophageal squamous and gastric biopsy tissues and found that EphB2 signaling was hyperactivated in most cases of EAC and BE. Read more.
Toupet fundoplication could become preferred anti-reflux procedure after lung transplant
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Among patients who underwent lung transplantation, laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication provided objective acid reflux control and preserved lung function and foregut motility, according to late-breaking data.
“Gastroesophageal reflux disease with microaspiration is a modifiable risk factor for lung transplant rejection,” Sheetal Patel, MD, a third-year fellow in gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at University of Florida Health, said in her presentation at the ACG 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting. “Chronic microaspiration has been associated with acute rejection episodes and may contribute to the development of bronchiolitis obliterans, which has been implicated in chronic lung allograft dysfunction.” Read more.
Reference:
April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month! https://ecan.org/april-is-esophageal-cancer-awareness-month2/ Accessed April 14, 2023.