Endoscopy in Barrett's oesophagus: adherence to standards and neoplasia detection in the community practice versus hospital setting

Advanced endoscopic imaging for detecting and guiding therapy of early neoplasias of the esophagus

Esophageal cancers, largely adenocarcinoma in Western countries and squamous cell cancer in Asia, present a significant burden of disease and remain one of the most lethal of cancers. Key to improving survival is the development and adoption of new imaging modalities to identify early neoplastic lesions, which may be small, multifocal, subsurface, and difficult to detect by standard endoscopy. Such advanced imaging is particularly relevant with the emergence of ablative techniques that often require multiple endoscopic sessions and may be complicated by bleeding, pain, strictures, and recurrences. Assessing the specific location, depth of involvement, and features correlated with neoplastic progression or incomplete treatment may optimize treatments. While not comprehensive of all endoscopic imaging modalities, we review here some of the recent advances in endoscopic luminal imaging, particularly with surface contrast enhancement using virtual chromoendoscopy, highly magnified subsurface imaging with confocal endomicroscopy, optical coherence tomography, elastic scattering spectroscopy, angle-resolved low-coherence interferometry, and light scattering spectroscopy. While there is no single ideal imaging modality, various multimodal instruments are also being investigated. The future of combining computer-aided assessments, molecular markers, and improved imaging technologies to help localize and ablate early neoplastic lesions shed hope for improved disease outcome.

Quality of endoscopic surveillance of Barrett's esophagus

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence to Barrett's esophagus (BE) surveillance guidelines in Denmark.

METHODS

The Danish Pathology Registry was used to identify 3692 patients. A total of 300 patients were included by drawing a simple random sample. Description of the BE segment, biopsy protocol, communication with the pathologist and planned follow-up endoscopy, was evaluated.

RESULTS

Thirty-one patients were excluded due to missing reports and 83 patients (28%) due to no endoscopic evidence of BE. Endoscopists suspected BE in 186 patients (62%) and these patients were included. Prague C&M classification was used in 34% of the endoscopy reports. The median number of biopsies was 4 (interquartile range (IQR), 3-6). The BE segment was stratified by lengths of 1-5, 6-10 and 11-15 cm and endoscopists obtained a sufficient number of biopsies in 12, 8 and 0% of cases, respectively. 28% of endoscopists described the exact location of the biopsy site in the pathology requisition. Patients with nondysplastic BE had endoscopic surveillance performed after a median of 24 months (IQR, 6-24).

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to the Danish guidelines was poor. This may be associated with insufficient quality of BE surveillance. Lack of endoscopic evidence of BE in the Danish Pathology Registry may have underestimated the incidence of adenocarcinoma in BE patients in previous studies.

Organization of surveillance in GI practice

BACKGROUND

Several reports documented an inefficient utilisation of available resources, as well as a suboptimal compliance with surveillance recommendations. Although, evidence suggests that organisational issues can influence the quality of care delivered, surveillance protocols are usually based on non-organized approaches.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search (publication date: 01/2000-06/2016) on PubMed and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for guidelines, or consensus statements, for surveys of practice, reporting information about patients, or providers attitudes and behaviours, for intervention studies to enhance compliance with guidelines. Related articles were also scrutinised. Based on the clinical relevance and burden on endoscopy services this review was focused on surveillance for Barrett's oesophagus, IBD and post-polypectomy surveillance of colonic adenomas.

RESULTS

Existing guidelines are generally recognising structure and process requirements influencing delivery of surveillance interventions, while less attention had been devoted to transitions and interfaces in the care process. Available evidence from practice surveys is suggesting the need to design organizational strategies aimed to enable patients to attend and providers to deliver timely and appropriate care. Well designed studies assessing the effectiveness of specific interventions in this setting are however lacking. Indirect evidence from screening settings would suggest that the implementation of automated standardized recall systems, utilisation of clinical registries, removing financial barriers, could improve appropriateness of use and compliance with recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS

Lack of sound evidence regarding utility and methodology of surveillance can contribute to explain the observed variability in providers and patients attitudes and in compliance with the recommended surveillance.

Long-term survival and cost analysis of an annual Barrett's surveillance programme

OBJECTIVES

Surveillance endoscopy aims to identify progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OA) at an early stage in patients with Barrett's metaplasia (BM). There are variations in surveillance practice, clinical outcomes and economic analyses. The study examined long-term survival and financial impact in patients undergoing annual surveillance of BM.

METHODS

Patients with BM and considered fit for curative treatment between January 1994 and July 2001 were studied. Surveillance was scheduled as annual endoscopy with quadrantic biopsies every 2 cm. Financial analysis was based on standard National Health Service costs to death or follow-up to 5 years. Comparison was made with patients presenting with OA over the same time period.

RESULTS

Three hundred and two patients were identified with BM. Minimum follow-up was 5 years with a total follow-up of 654 patient-years. Two patients developed HGD and six OA. Median time between last nondysplastic biopsy and development of OA or HGD was 16 months (range 9-55). Five underwent potentially curative treatment. The remaining patients were unfit (n=1), refused surgery (n=1) or had metastatic disease (n=1). Four of five treated patients survived up to 5 years. The total cost of the surveillance programme including subsequent surgical or palliative treatment was euro240 682, euro30 085 per patient who progressed and for the prevalent cancer group (n=74) euro630 480 or euro8520 per patient. Only two patients in this group survived beyond 5 years. The additional cost of surveillance was euro4493 per life year gained.

CONCLUSION

A surveillance programme leads to improved 5-year survival. It is cost-effective compared with dealing with unselected patients.