Barrett's esophagus at a tertiary care center: association of age on incidence and prevalence of dysplasia and adenocarcinoma

Age-specific incidence, treatment, and survival trends in esophageal cancer: a Dutch population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Data on the age-specific incidence of esophageal cancer are lacking. Our aim was to investigate the age-stratified incidence, treatment, and survival trends of esophageal cancer in the Netherlands, with a focus on adults <50 years.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer were included from the nationwide Netherlands Cancer Registry (1989-2018). Follow-up data were available until 31 December 2018. Annual percentage changes of incidence were analyzed according to age group (<50, 50-74, and ≥75 years) and histology type: adenocarcinoma (EAC) and squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Treatment trends and relative survival rates (RSR) were estimated by age and stage grouping.

RESULTS

A total 59,584 patients were included. In adults <50 years, EAC incidence tripled (mean increase per year: males 1.5%, females 3%), while the incidence of ESCC decreased (mean decrease per year: males -5.3%, females -4.3%). Patients <50 years more often presented with advanced disease stages compared to older patients and were more likely to receive multimodality treatments. Most patients <50 years with potentially curable disease were treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery compared to patients 50-74 and ≥75 years (74% vs. 55% vs. 15%, respectively; p < .001), and received more frequent systemic therapy once staged with palliative disease (72% vs. 54% vs. 19%, respectively; p < .001). The largest RSR improvement was seen in patients <50 years with early-stage (five years: +47%), potentially curable (five years: +22%), and palliative disease (one year: +11%). Over time, a trend of increasing survival difference was seen between patients <50 and ≥75 years with potentially curable (five-year difference: 17% to 27%) and palliative disease (one-year difference: 11% to 20%).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of EAC is increasing in adults <50 years in the Netherlands. Differences in the use of multimodality treatments with curative or life-prolonging intent in different age categories may account for increasing survival gaps.

Is the age of diagnosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma getting younger? Analysis at a tertiary care center

There are emerging data that patients <50 years are diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) more frequently, suggesting that the age threshold for screening should be revisited. This study aimed to determine the age distribution, outcomes, and clinical features of EAC over time. The pathology database at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania was reviewed from 1991 to 2018. The electronic health records and pathology were reviewed for age of diagnosis, pathology grade, race, and gender for a cohort of 630 patients with biopsy proven EAC. For the patients diagnosed from 2009 to 2018, the Penn Abramson Cancer Center Registry was reviewed for survival and TNM stage. Of the 630 patients, 10.3% (65 patients) were <50 years old [median 43 years, range 16-49]. There was no increase in the number of patients <50 years diagnosed with EAC (R = 0.133, P = 0.05). Characteristics of those <50 years versus >50 years showed no difference in tumor grade. Among the 179 eligible patients in the cancer registry, there was no significant difference in clinical or pathological stage for patients <50 years (P value = 0.18). There was no association between diagnosis age and survival (P = 0.24). A substantial subset of patients with EAC is diagnosed at <50 years. There was no increasing trend of EAC in younger cohorts from 1991 to 2018. We could not identify more advanced stage tumors in the younger cohort. There was no significant association between diagnosis age and survival.

Barrett Esophagus Length, Nodularity, and Low-grade Dysplasia are Predictive of Progression to Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

GOALS

To investigate factors predictive of progression from nondysplastic Barrett esophagus (NDBE) or low-grade dysplasia (LGD) to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) using a large, prospective cohort of patients, wherein all esophageal biopsies undergo expert gastrointestinal pathologist review.

BACKGROUND

Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of endoscopic surveillance to detect incident EAC in the setting of Barrett esophagus (BE), particularly in NDBE patients, is questioned. Previous studies have reported factors predictive of progression to EAC to guide surveillance intervals, but their strength is limited by small sample size and absence of expert gastrointestinal pathologist involvement in esophageal biopsy review.

STUDY

NDBE and LGD subjects were identified from a prospective registry in a tertiary care center. "Progressors" were BE subjects who developed HGD/EAC>12 months after the initial NDBE or LGD diagnosis. Cox proportional hazards model were used to identify predictors of progression.

RESULTS

In total, 318 with NDBE and 301 with BE-LGD (mean age, 62.6 y, 85% male) were included. The mean follow-up was 5.3 years. The 7 NDBE and 21 LGD subjects progressed to HGD/EAC. BE length [hazards ratio (HR), 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-1.29], presence of nodularity (HR, 4.98; 95% CI, 1.80-11.7), and baseline LGD (HR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.13-6.57) were significant predictors of progression on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

In this well-defined cohort of NDBE and BE-LGD subjects, BE length, presence of LGD, and nodularity were independent predictors of progression to HGD/EAC. These factors may aid in identifying high-risk patients who may benefit from closer endoscopic surveillance/therapy.

Higher clinical suspicion is needed for prompt diagnosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma in young patients

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer is considered a disease of the elderly. Although the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in young patients is increasing, current guidelines for endoscopic evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus include age as a cutoff. There is a paucity of data on the presentation and treatment of esophageal cancer in young patients. Most studies are limited by small sample sizes, and conflicting findings are reported regarding delayed diagnosis and survival compared with older patients.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed using the National Cancer Database between 2004 and 2015. Patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma were divided into quartiles by age (18-57, 58-65, 66-74, 75+ years) for comparison. Clinicopathologic and treatment factors were compared between groups.

RESULTS

A total of 101,596 patients were identified with esophageal cancer. The youngest patient group (18-57 years) had the highest rate of metastatic disease (34%). No difference in tumor differentiation was observed between age groups. Younger patient groups were more likely to undergo treatment despite advanced stage at diagnosis. Overall 5-year survival was better for younger patients with local disease, but the difference was less pronounced in locoregional and metastatic cases.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, young patients were more likely to have metastatic disease at diagnosis. Advanced stage in young patients may reflect the need for more aggressive clinical evaluation in high-risk young patients.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and prognosis in Taiwan

The prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is poor. In order to find out appropriate treatment for each group of patients, we aim to examine the prognostic factors influencing survival for esophageal cancer patients in Taiwan. Data were obtained from the Taiwan Society of Cancer Registry. There were 14,394 esophageal cancer patients analyzed between 2008 and 2014 in this retrospective review. The impact of the clinicopathologic factors on overall survival was assessed. The following clinic‐pathologic factors were included to analyses: age, sex, tumor location, tumor length, histologic grade, clinical T, clinical N, clinical M, clinical stage, and all therapeutic methods within 3 months after diagnosis. The 5‐year survival rate was 16.8%, with a median survival of 343 days. The distribution of patients by their clinical stage is as follows: stage 0 (n = 162; 1.1%); stage I (n = 964; 6.7%); stage II (n = 2392; 16.6%); stage III (n = 6636; 46.1%); and stage IV (n = 3661; 25.4%). In the multivariate analysis, age, sex, tumor location, tumor length, clinical T, clinical N, clinical M, and treatment remained independent prognostic factors. Our data indicated that age, sex, tumor location, tumor length, clinical T, clinical N, clinical M, and treatment remained independent prognostic factors. Patients who could receive surgery had significantly better outcomes.

Factors Associated With Progression of Barrett's Esophagus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Endoscopic surveillance of patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) is inefficient. Risk stratification of patients might improve the effectiveness of surveillance. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify factors associated with progression of BE without dysplasia or BE with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) to high-grade dysplasia or esophageal adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

We performed a systematic search of databases through May 2016 to identify cohort studies of patients with baseline BE without dysplasia or BE with LGD that reported predictors of progression. Pooled estimates (odds ratios) of associations of age, sex, smoking, alcohol use, obesity, baseline LGD, segment length, and medication use with progression were calculated.

RESULTS

We identified 20 studies, reporting 1231 events in 74943 patients. The studies associated BE progression with increasing age (12 studies; odds ratio [OR], 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05), male sex (11 studies; OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.84-2.53), ever smoking (current or past, 8 studies; OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.09-1.98), and increasing BE segment length (10 studies; OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.16-1.36), with a low degree of heterogeneity. LGD was associated with a 4-fold increase in risk of BE progression (11 studies; OR, 4.25; 95% CI, 2.58-7.0). Use of proton pump inhibitors (4 studies; OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.32-0.96) or statins (3 studies; OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.31-0.73) were associated with lower risk of BE progression. Alcohol use and obesity did not associate with risk of progression.

CONCLUSIONS

In a systematic review and meta-analysis, we associated older age, male sex, smoking, longer BE segment, and LGD with risk of progression of BE. Individuals with these features should undergo more intensive surveillance or endoscopic therapy. Smoking is a modifiable risk factor for cancer prevention in patients with BE.

Esophageal cancer in patients under 50: a SEER analysis

Background

Concomitant with rising rates of esophageal adenocarcinoma, there has been a significant increase of diagnoses among relatively younger individuals. However, most studies that focus on esophageal cancer (EC) in younger patients have had small sample sizes of patients treated at a single institute. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics, outcomes and independent prognostic factors for EC in patients under 50-year-old using a large, multi-center dataset.

Methods

The national Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was analyzed for EC reported from 2004 to 2013. Patients were divided into two groups, those under 50-year-old and those 50 years or older, and comparisons were made regarding demographics, histology, stage distribution, treatment, overall survival (OS), and esophageal cancer-specific survival (ECSS). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were also used to identify independent prognostic factors.

Results

Among the 16,544 eligible patients, 1,385 (8.37%) were under 50 and 15,159 (91.63%) were over 50. Compared with the older group, patients under 50 were characterized by a higher frequency of males, lower esophagus involvement, adenocarcinoma histology, stage III/IV disease, and receiving esophagectomy or radiation therapy. The stage-wise OS and ECSS were significantly better in the younger group (P<0.001). The multivariate analysis indicated that African-American heritage, grade III or IV, later stage, and not undergoing surgical or radiation therapy were independent negative prognostic factors of ECSS for patients under 50.

Conclusions

EC patients under 50-year-old had distinctive clinicopathological characteristics compared with patients over 50-year-old. Despite more often presenting with stage III and IV disease, survival rates were better in the younger cohort. Prognostic factors for ECSS in patients under 50 differed from those in all age patients.

Survival benefit of surgery to patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

To assess if surgery provided survival benefit to patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), we performed a retrospective review of 1230 patients who were newly diagnosed with stage T2-T4 esophageal SCC from 2007 to 2014 in our hospital. There were greater than 70% of patients with age under 65 years, and more than 85% were stage T3-T4 at the time of diagnosis. The median survival time was 1.06 year (95% CI 0.99–1.1 yrs). Survival analyses showed that survival time was significantly associated with age, T stage, clinical lymph node involvement and treatment modality (surgery versus definite chemoradiotherapy). Surgery still possessed a powerful impact on overall survival by multivariable analysis. Death risk of patients treated with curative surgery was significantly lower than those with definite chemoradiotherapy. Furthermore, for patients of stage T3N(+) and T4, surgery combined with (neo-)adjuvant treatment were significantly associated with higher survival rate than surgery alone or definite chemoradiotherapy. In conclusion, the patients who undergo surgery were significantly associated longer survival, therefore, curative resection should be considered for esophageal cancer patients who are medically fit for surgery. Moreover, combined with (neo-)adjuvant treatment is recommended for surgically resectable stage T3-T4 esophageal SCC.

Advances in the Endoscopic Diagnosis of Barrett Esophagus

BACKGROUND

Barrett esophagus (BE) continues to be a major risk factor for developing esophageal adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

We review the risk factors, diagnosis, and management of BE, with an emphasis on the most current endoscopic diagnostic modalities for BE.

RESULTS

Novel diagnostic modalities have emerged to address the inadequacies of standard, untargeted biopsies, such as dye-based and virtual chromoendoscopy, endoscopic mucosal resection, molecular biomarkers, optical coherence tomography, confocal laser endomicroscopy, volumetric laser endomicroscopy, and endocytoscopy. Treatment of BE depends on the presence of intramucosal cancer or dysplasia, particularly high-grade dysplasia with or without visible mucosal lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

Recent advances in endoscopic diagnostic tools demonstrate promising results and help to mitigate the shortcomings of the Seattle protocol. Future research as well as refining these tools may help aid them in replacing standard untargeted biopsies.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: prevalent vs. incident oesophageal adenocarcinoma and high-grade dysplasia in Barrett's oesophagus

BACKGROUND

The proportion of oesophageal adenocarcinoma that is detected concurrently with initial Barrett's oesophagus diagnosis is not well studied.

AIM

To compare the proportion of prevalent adenocarcinoma vs. incident adenocarcinoma found during surveillance of Barrett's.

METHODS

We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science (from their inception to 31 May 2015) for cohort studies in adults with Barrett's (nondysplastic Barrett's ± Barrett's with low-grade dysplasia) with minimum average follow-up of 3 years, and providing numbers of prevalent adenocarcinoma detected (concurrently with Barrett's diagnosis and up to 1 year afterwards) vs. incident adenocarcinoma detected (greater than 1 year after Barrett's diagnosis). Pooled weighted proportions of prevalent and incident adenocarcinoma were calculated, using a random effects model.

RESULTS

On meta-analysis of 13 studies reporting on 603 adenocarcinomas in 9657 Barrett's patients, 85.1% of adenocarcinomas were classified as prevalent [95% confidence interval (CI), 78.1-90.2%) and 14.9% as incident (95% CI, 9.8-21.9%), with substantial heterogeneity (I(2) = 66%). Among nine studies reporting on 787 high-grade dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinomas in 8098 Barrett's patients, the proportion of prevalent high-grade dysplasia-oesophageal adenocarcinoma was similar at 80.5% (95% CI, 68.1-88.8%, I(2) = 87%). These results remained stable across multiple subgroup analyses including study quality, setting, duration of follow-up and presence of baseline dysplasia.

CONCLUSIONS

In our meta-analysis, four of five patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma or high-grade dysplasia at index endoscopy or within 1 year of Barrett's follow-up were considered to be prevalent cases. Continued efforts are needed to identify patients with Barrett's before the development of adenocarcinoma.

Screening for Barrett's Esophagus

There is substantial interest in identifying patients with premalignant conditions such as Barrett's esophagus (BE), to improve outcomes of subjects with esophageal adenocarcinoma. However, there is limited consensus on the rationale for screening, the appropriate target population, and optimal screening modality. Recent progress in the development and validation of minimally invasive tools for BE screening has reinvigorated interest in BE screening. BE risk scores combining clinical, anthropometric, and laboratory variables are being developed that may allow more precise targeting of screening to high-risk individuals. This article reviews and summarizes data on recent progress and challenges in screening for BE.

A Multiscale Model Evaluates Screening for Neoplasia in Barrett's Esophagus

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) patients are routinely screened for high grade dysplasia (HGD) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) through endoscopic screening, during which multiple esophageal tissue samples are removed for histological analysis. We propose a computational method called the multistage clonal expansion for EAC (MSCE-EAC) screening model that is used for screening BE patients in silico to evaluate the effects of biopsy sampling, diagnostic sensitivity, and treatment on disease burden. Our framework seamlessly integrates relevant cell-level processes during EAC development with a spatial screening process to provide a clinically relevant model for detecting dysplastic and malignant clones within the crypt-structured BE tissue. With this computational approach, we retain spatio-temporal information about small, unobserved tissue lesions in BE that may remain undetected during biopsy-based screening but could be detected with high-resolution imaging. This allows evaluation of the efficacy and sensitivity of current screening protocols to detect neoplasia (dysplasia and early preclinical EAC) in the esophageal lining. We demonstrate the clinical utility of this model by predicting three important clinical outcomes: (1) the probability that small cancers are missed during biopsy-based screening, (2) the potential gains in neoplasia detection probabilities if screening occurred via high-resolution tomographic imaging, and (3) the efficacy of ablative treatments that result in the curative depletion of metaplastic and neoplastic cell populations in BE in terms of the long-term impact on reducing EAC incidence.

Endoscopic screening for detecting cancer and cancer precursors in Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is currently informed by repeated systematic biopsying of the metaplastic BE tissue. Here we present a comprehensive multiscale model of the natural history of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), which describes the entire multistage process beginning with the conversion event of normal squamous esophageal tissue to BE metaplasia, the spatio-temporal formation of independent dysplastic and malignant clones at the cell level, and finally the appearance of symptomatic EAC in BE. This model lends itself to a systematic exploration of the efficacy and sensitivity of current biopsy-based screening methods to detect neoplasia in BE patients, as well as alternative screening techniques based on high-resolution imaging of the BE tissue. Moreover, the model can also be used to predict the impact of ablative treatments on the risk of occurrence or recurrence of dysplasia or cancer. Due to the lack of studies that attempt to explicitly model the physical and biological dimensions of the screening process itself, our computational model provides a unique, publicly-available tool to improve understanding of factors that limit the efficacy of current screening protocols for BE patients.

Risk stratification of patients with barrett's esophagus and low-grade dysplasia or indefinite for dysplasia

BACKGROUND & AIMS

In patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE), low-grade dysplasia (LGD) is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), progressing at variable rates. Patients at higher risk for progression could benefit from intervention. We assessed rates of progression of LGD and indefinite for dysplasia (IND) and risk factors for progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and EAC.

METHODS

We analyzed data from Cleveland Clinic Barrett's Registry on patients with BE and LGD or IND at least 1 year of follow-up from January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2012. Prevalent cases were those diagnosed at or within 1 year of the first endoscopy, and the rest were incident cases.

RESULTS

Among 299 patients with BE and LGD or IND, there were 32 cases of HGD and 10 cases of EAC during a follow-up period of 1577.4 patient-years. The annual incidence rates were 2.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7%-3.3%) for HGD, 0.6% (95% CI, 0.3%-1.2%) for EAC, and 2.7% (95% CI, 1.9%-3.6%) for HGD or EAC. The rates were higher in men than in women with BE and LGD or IND. Prevalent cases were 3-fold more likely to progress than incident cases. Multifocality and nodules were associated with higher risk of progression to HGD or EAC. None of the patients with IND at index biopsy developed EAC. For every 5-year increase in age, chance of regression increased by 7% (P = .04). Also, for every 1-cm increase in BE length, probability of regression decreased by 6% (P = .016). LGD at index biopsy was associated with 56% lower chance of regression compared with IND (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of a database analysis of patients with BE, prevalent LGD, male sex, multifocality, and nodules were associated with higher risk for progression to EAC. Older age at LGD diagnosis, IND at index biopsy, and shorter BE length were associated with regression. These findings help in risk stratification of patients with BE and LGD or IND.

Prevalence and age, gender and geographical area distribution of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas in North China from 1985 to 2006

OBJECTIVE

To establish the prevalence and distribution profile of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) over a 22-yr period in North China.

METHODS

Using endoscopy for primary diagnosis and histological analysis for the further confirmation, a total of 74,854 ESCC patients aged 20-89 between January 1985 and December 2006 were investigated to analyze the epidemiological profile including prevalence rates, distribution of age-of-onset, gender and geographical area of ESCC in Luoyang, the highest incidence area of North China.

RESULTS

A total of 4092 cases of ESCC were finally diagnosed among 74,854 patients who had their first endoscopies. The prevalence among males was higher than that among females (p<0.01), resulting in an overall male:female OR of 1.2 (95%CI, 1.2-1.3). The prevalence in rural areas was higher than in urban areas (p<0.01), resulting in an overall rural:urban OR of 2.6 (95%CI, 2.4-2.9). The rural:urban ORs and the 95% CI increased continuously from 2.6, 2.3-3.0 to 2.7, 2.2-3.3, respectively, for 4 consecutive periods during the 22-yr study period. Moreover, the median age of onset among females was higher than that among males (p<0.01). For both sexes and in both areas, the prevalence rates declined and the median age of onset rose for 4 consecutive periods in the 22-yrs time frame (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

[corrected] These data reveal the epidemiological profile of ESCC in the area of North China, and suggest that urban areas and rural people account for a growing proportion of the ESCC patients although the prevalence of ESCC significantly declined and the median age-of-onset postponed over the 22-yrs period. Moreover, the prevalence status of ESCC in rural areas also underlines the need for public health initiatives aimed at reducing risk factors of this fatal disease.

Barrett's oesophagus: epidemiology, cancer risk and implications for management

Although endoscopic surveillance of patients with Barrett's oesophagus has been widely implemented, its effectiveness is debateable. The recently reported low annual oesophageal adenocarcinoma risk in population studies, the failure to identify most Barrett's patients at risk of disease progression, the poor adherence to surveillance and biopsy protocols, and the significant risk of misclassification of dysplasia all tend to undermine the effectiveness of current management, in particular, endoscopic surveillance programmes, to prevent or improve the outcomes of patients with oesophageal adenocarcinoma. The ongoing increase in incidence of Barrett's oesophagus and consequent growth of the surveillance population, together with the associated discomfort and costs of endoscopic surveillance, demand improved techniques for accurately determining individual risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma. More accurate techniques are needed to run efficient surveillance programmes in the coming decades. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge on the epidemiology of Barrett's oesophagus, and the challenging epidemiological dilemmas that need to be addressed when assessing the current screening and surveillance strategies.

Predictable Marker for Regression of Barrett's Esophagus by Proton Pump Inhibitor Treatment in Korea

Background/Aims

There has been no report regarding the regression of Barrett's esophagus (BE) by continuous treatment of proton pump inhibitor (PPI). The aim of this study was to determine the regression rate of BE by PPI and predictable markers related to regression.

Methods

Thirty-five patients diagnosed as BE were consecutively enrolled and most of them took continuous PPI. The 25 patients underwent endoscopic surveillance and received biopsy. If the specialized intestinal metaplasia (SIM) was lost at any point of surveillance and did not recur, the case was regarded as the regression group. The proportion of SIM was graded and the mucin phenotype was decided using immunohistochemistry for MUC2, MUC5AC and MUC6. To assess the cell proliferation indexes and the degree of intestinal maturation, immunohistochemistry for Ki67 and CDX2 were performed.

Results

The regression of BE occurred in the 11 (44%) patients. The clinical and demographic factors showed no difference between the regression (n = 11) and persistence group (n = 14). The lower grade of SIM (P < 0.001) and gastric predominant mucin phenotype (P = 0.018) were more frequent, and the number of Ki67 positive cell per gland (P = 0.008) and the mean extent of CDX2 (P = 0.022) were lower in the regression group than in the persistence group.

Conclusions

The regression of BE by PPI treatment was frequent in Korea. The immunohistochemical detection of mucin phenotype, grade of SIM, Ki67 and CDX2 expression in Barrett's mucosa could be useful as a predictable marker for regression of SIM in BE.

Outcome of patients with esophageal cancer: a nationwide analysis

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer is 1 of the 10 most common cancers and is a particular devastating form of cancer worldwide. More than 90% patients with esophageal cancer in Taiwan have squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In the present study, we assessed the factors affecting survival of patients with esophageal cancer using data from Taiwan, a high-incidence area for esophageal SCC.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of 12,482 patients who were newly diagnosed with esophageal cancer from 1998 to 2007. The data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Study participants were followed-up until the end of 2008.

RESULTS

Of the 12,482 patients, 11,490 (92.1%) were male with a median age of 60 years, and 992 (7.9%) were female with a median age of 71 years at the time of diagnosis. The overall 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates after diagnosis were 40.3, 22.9, 12.8, and 7.6%, respectively. Among parametric models for esophageal cancer prognosis, male sex, no curative treatment (surgery and/or radiotherapy), old age, and low socioeconomic status were significantly associated with shorter survival. Furthermore, curative treatment with surgery improved the survival of esophageal cancer patients more significantly compared with patients who undergo definite radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicated that age, sex, and curative treatment were significant predictors of lifetime survival in patients with esophageal cancer. The overall survival rates of patients with esophageal cancer are relatively low, while survival of patients who undergo surgery is improved significantly.

Outcomes assessment of the surgical management of esophageal cancer in younger and older patients

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of age on disease presentation, clinical and pathologic staging, postoperative outcomes, costs, and long-term survival after esophagectomy for esophageal malignancy.

METHODS

All patients undergoing esophagectomy for cancer between 1991 and 2011 were prospectively enrolled in an Institutional Review Board approved database.

RESULTS

A total of 493 patients underwent surgical resection during the study period; 58 (11.76%) of these patients were 50 years or less (44 ± 4.7) and 435 patients were greater than 50 years (67 ± 8.44). There was no difference in clinical stage; however, patients 50 years or less were more likely to have adenocarcinoma and reduced Charlson comorbidity index and younger patients tended to have a more delayed presentation as manifested by an increased period of dysphagia and a greater degree of weight loss. In the 50 or less age group there was a significantly greater use of neoadjuvant therapy in stage II patients and the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly decreased with increasing age. Surgery in the 50 or less age group was associated with significantly reduced intensive care unit stay, incidence of postoperative complications, and overall costs. Multivariate analysis also confirmed associations between increasing age and increased incidence of postoperative complications and cost. There were no significant differences in pathologic stage, positive resection margins, incidence of complete response to neoadjuvant therapy, or in overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates younger patients have fewer complications and lower overall treatment costs after esophagectomy. In spite of having a more delayed presentation, younger patients presented with a similar stage and demonstrated similar overall survival.

Article Commentary: Management of Barrett's Esophagus

Barrett's esophagus is a pathologic change of the normal squamous epithelium of the esophagus to specialized columnar metaplasia. Barrett's esophagus is a result of prolonged exposure of the esophagus to gastroduodenal refluxate. Although Barrett's itself is not symptomatic, and, in fact, patients with Barrett's esophagus may be completely asymptomatic, it does identify patients at higher risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. Traditionally, antireflux surgery was reserved for patients with symptoms, because it was believed that antireflux surgery did not eliminate Barrett's esophagus and reduce cancer risk. Rationale for the treatment of Barrett's esophagus beyond treating symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease stems from the hope to decrease, if not eliminate, the risk of adenocarcinoma. Treatment options ranged from medical acid suppression without surveillance to resection. Ablation, particularly endoscopic radio-frequency ablation, has become the standard of care for Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia. It role in nondysplastic or low-grade dysplastic Barrett's is less clear. Combined endoscopic mucosal resection with ablation is effective in nodular high-grade Barrett's esophagus. Resection should be reserved for patients with persistent high-grade dysplasia despite multiple attempts at endoscopic ablation or resection or for patients with evidence of carcinoma.

Natural history of Barrett's esophagus

The natural history of Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is difficult to quantify because, by definition, it should describe the course of the condition if left untreated. Pragmatically, we assume that patients with BE will receive symptomatic treatment with acid suppression, usually a proton pump inhibitor, to treat their heartburn. This paper describes the development of complications of stricture, ulcer, dysplasia and adenocarcinoma from this standpoint. Controversies over the definition of BE and its implications in clinical practice are presented. The presence of intestinal metaplasia and its relevance to cancer risk is discussed, and the need to measure the extent of the Barrett’s epithelium (long and short segments) using the Prague guidelines is emphasized. Guidelines and international consensus over the diagnosis and management of BE are being regularly updated. The need for expert consensus is important due to the lack of randomized trials in this area. After searching the literature, we have tried to collate the important studies regarding progression of Barrett’s to dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. No therapeutic studies yet reported show a clear reduction in the development of cancer in BE. The effect of pharmacological and surgical intervention on the natural history of Barrett’s is a subject of ongoing research, including the Barrett’s Oesophagus Surveillance Study and the aspirin and esomeprazole cancer chemoprevention trial with interesting results. The geographical variation and the wide range of outcomes highlight the difficulty of providing an individualized risk profile to patients with BE. Future studies on the interaction of genome wide abnormalities in Barrett’s and their interaction with environmental factors may allow individualization of the risk of cancer developing in BE.

Predictors of progression in Barrett's esophagus: current knowledge and future directions

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the strongest risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a malignancy with persistently poor long-term outcomes. EAC is thought to develop through progression of metaplasia to dysplasia to invasive carcinoma. Identification of factors predicting progression to EAC would help in focusing surveillance, chemoprevention, or ablation for those deemed to be at highest risk of progression. We performed a comprehensive review of the literature and summarized current evidence on risk factors for progression in subjects with known BE. Clinical and demographic factors (age, male gender, length of BE segment) are associated with modestly increased odds of progression to EAC in some studies. Biomarkers such as aneuploidy and p53 loss of heterozygosity have been associated with increased risk of progression to high-grade dysplasia and/or EAC in single-center prospective cohort studies. Promising newer techniques and markers have been recently reported with the potential to help risk stratify BE subjects. Development of a comprehensive BE risk progression score comprised of both clinical and biomarker variables should be the ultimate goal and can be achieved by multicenter prospective collaborative efforts. Although it would be challenging, creation of such a score has the potential to improve outcomes and make the management of patients with BE more cost-effective.

Comparative outcome of oesophagogastric cancer in younger patients

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of oesophageal and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma has increased rapidly over the previous two decades. There has been a rise in the number of younger patients affected, and the disease may be more aggressive and have a worse prognosis in these individuals. Current UK guidelines for urgent cancer referral focus on patients who are over 55 years. This study prospectively compares the referral times and outcome in a cohort of patients diagnosed with oesophagogastric cancer under the age of 55 years with a matched cohort over 55 of age.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Every patient diagnosed with oesophageal, junctional or gastric cancer under the age of 55 years and every subsequent patient over the age of 55 years was accepted into this study. In all, 17 hospitals participated over a 12-month period. The following data were recorded: duration of symptoms, number of fast-track referrals, duration from GP referral to first hospital visit and stage at presentation. A survival analysis between the two groups was conducted at 2 years after the end of recruitment.

RESULTS

In total, 102 patients under the age of 55 years were diagnosed with oesophagogastric cancer during the study period. There were fewer fast-track referrals from GPs in this group compared to the over 55-year matched cases (29.4% vs 40.2%). Duration of time from GP referral to first hospital visit was significantly longer in the under 55-year group (median 14 days vs 11 days; P = 0.045 Mann-Whitney). Stage at presentation was similar between groups, but a higher proportion of patients under 55 years were offered a curative treatment plan compared to those over 55 years (P < 0.01). Survival analysis conducted at 2 years after the end of recruitment demonstrated a longer median survival in the under 55-year group (348 days vs 248 days; P = 0.03 log rank).

CONCLUSIONS

Although there was a longer referral time in patients under the age of 55 years, this had no effect on disease stage at presentation. Patients under the age of 55 years diagnosed with oesophageal or gastric cancer appear to have a better prognosis than those aged over 55 years.

Complete Barrett's eradication endoscopic mucosal resection: an effective treatment modality for high-grade dysplasia and intramucosal carcinoma--an American single-center experience

OBJECTIVES

Complete Barrett's eradication endoscopic mucosal resection (CBE-EMR) is the endoscopic removal of all Barrett's epithelium with the curative intent of eliminating high-grade dysplasia (HGD)/intramucosal carcinoma (IMC) and reducing the risk of metachronous lesion development. We report our single tertiary referral center's long-term clinical experience using this modality in HGD/IMC management.

METHODS

In this study, we retrospectively reviewed all patients who had CBE-EMR for Barrett's esophagus (BE) with HGD/IMC who had been entered into our center's prospectively collected database. High-definition white-light and narrow-band imaging examinations were used according to the protocol. Staging endoscopic ultrasound was done before CBE-EMR to exclude invasive disease or suspicious lymphadenopathy. High-dose proton pump inhibition was instituted after initial treatment, and Seattle-type surveillance biopsies were performed on follow-up every 6 months once the CBE-EMR procedure was completed.

RESULTS

A total of 49 patients (mean age 67 years, median 65, s.d. 11; 75% men) with histologically confirmed BE and HGD (33), IMC (16), underwent CBE-EMR from August 2003 to August 2008. The mean BE segment length was 3.2 cm (median 2, s.d. 2.2); 26 patients had short-segment BE, and 30 had visible lesions. A total of 106 EMR procedures were performed. On initial EMR, two patients had superficial submucosal carcinoma invasion (sm1) and two had IMC with lymphatic channel invasion. All four patients were referred for esophagectomy, but one opted for continued endoscopic management, without evidence of residual or recurrent carcinoma. A total of 14 patients await completion of EMR (9) or first follow-up endoscopy (5). CBE-EMR therapy was completed in 32 patients by an average of 2.1 sessions (median 2, s.d. 0.9). Surveillance biopsies showed normal squamous epithelium in 31 of 32 (96.9%) patients (mean remission time 22.9 months, median 17, s.d. 16.7, interquartile range 11-38). In all, 10 of 46 patients who continued in the endoscopic protocol had subsquamous Barrett's epithelium on EMR specimens and/or treatment endoscopy biopsies. Overall, 1 of these 10 patients had Barrett's underneath squamous mucosa on most recent surveillance biopsies. CBE-EMR upstaged pre-EMR pathology results in 7 of 49 (14%) of patients and downstaged pathology in 15 of 49 (31%) patients. In all, 18 of 49 (37%) patients developed symptomatic esophageal stenosis after a mean of 24.4 days (median 13.5, s.d. 27.8); all were successfully managed by endoscopic treatment. No perforations or uncontrollable bleeding occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the largest American single-center experience demonstrating that CBE-EMR with close endoscopic surveillance is an effective treatment modality for BE with HGD/IMC. Although the rate of stenosis development is significant, it is easily treated by endoscopic dilation. Patients considering endoscopic ablation should be counseled appropriately. The role of CBE-EMR in patients with lymphatic invasion or superficial submucosal invasion remains to be defined.

Presentation and prognosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients below age 50

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States, is increasingly recognized in younger patients in whom the clinicopathologic features have been poorly described. We aim to compare clinical presentation between early (i.e., <or=50 years of age) and later onset EAC, and to evaluate factors associated with survival. All patients diagnosed with EAC at our hospital between 1994 and 2004 were evaluated. Demographics, social history, family history of cancer, clinical presentation, diagnosis during Barrett's surveillance, endoscopic and histologic findings, treatment, and survival were compared between patients older than 50 and <or=50 years of age. Thirty-one of 242 (12.8%) patients were <or=50 years at diagnosis. Patients <or=50 were more likely to present with dysphagia (80% vs. 60%, P = 0.003) and have lymphatic spread at diagnosis (48% vs. 31%, P = 0.015). Median survival was 21.1 months (range 13.1-31.4) for younger patients and 22.0 months (range 20.0-28.1) for older patients (P = NS). Factors associated with shortened survival were dysphagia at presentation, advanced histologic grade, lymphatic spread, and esophagectomy. By multivariable analysis, shortened survival was associated with histologic grade (P = 0.03) and lymphatic spread (P = 0.01). Younger patients comprise a considerable proportion of newly diagnosed EAC. Diagnosis is delayed in younger patients presenting with dysphagia which contributes to adverse outcomes and advanced stage at time of diagnosis. Early endoscopy should be performed in the evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and dysphagia, particularly for patients younger than 50 years.

A cost-utility analysis of ablative therapy for Barrett's esophagus

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Recommendations for patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) include endoscopic surveillance with esophagectomy for early-stage cancer, although new technologies to ablate dysplasia and metaplasia are available. This study compares the cost utility of ablation with that of endoscopic surveillance strategies.

METHODS

A decision analysis model was created to examine a population of patients with BE (mean age 50), with separate analyses for patients with no dysplasia, low-grade dysplasia (LGD), or high-grade dysplasia (HGD). Strategies compared were no endoscopic surveillance; endoscopic surveillance with ablation for incident dysplasia; immediate ablation followed by endoscopic surveillance in all patients or limited to patients in whom metaplasia persisted; and esophagectomy. Ablation modalities modeled included radiofrequency, argon plasma coagulation, multipolar electrocoagulation, and photodynamic therapy.

RESULTS

Endoscopic ablation for patients with HGD could increase life expectancy by 3 quality-adjusted years at an incremental cost of <$6,000 compared with no intervention. Patients with LGD or no dysplasia can also be optimally managed with ablation, but continued surveillance after eradication of metaplasia is expensive. If ablation permanently eradicates >or=28% of LGD or 40% of nondysplastic metaplasia, ablation would be preferred to surveillance.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic ablation could be the preferred strategy for managing patients with BE with HGD. Ablation might also be preferred in subjects with LGD or no dysplasia, but the cost effectiveness depends on the long-term effectiveness of ablation and whether surveillance endoscopy can be discontinued after successful ablation. As further postablation data become available, the optimal management strategy will be clarified.

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

OBJECTIVE

Potential process differences between hospital and community-based endoscopy for Barrett's oesophagus have not been examined. We aimed at comparing adherence to guidelines and neoplasia detection rates in medical centres (MC) and community practices (CP).

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis.

SETTING

All histologically confirmed Barrett cases seen over a 3-year period in six MC and 19 CP covering a third of all upper gastrointestinal endoscopies (n = 126,000) performed annually in Berlin, Germany.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Rate of relevant neoplasia (high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia or more) in both settings in relation to adherence to standards.

RESULTS

Of 1317 Barrett cases, 66% were seen in CP. CP patients had a shorter mean Barrett length (2.6 cm vs. 3.8 cm; P < 0.001) with fewer biopsies taken during an examination (2.5 vs. 4.1 for Barrett length <or=2 cm; P < 0.001). CPs also provided fewer complete esophagogastroduodenoscopy documentation (25.1% vs. 57.8%, P < 0.001). Neoplasias were found more commonly in MCs compared to CPs (9.2% vs. 0.8%; P < 0.001). However, on exclusion of all referred patients with known neoplasia (65%) or those examined for other reasons (27.5%), the detection rate at MCs decreased to 1.3%, not different from the one seen at CPs (0.8%, P = 0.43). Only 13% were found during surveillance, but 57% were diagnosed at an early stage.

CONCLUSIONS

Referral bias and not better adherence to guidelines could explain the higher neoplasia prevalence in Barrett's oesophagus at hospital centres. Despite a generally poor adherence to guidelines, most neoplasias found were at an early and potentially curable stage.

The incidence of esophageal cancer and high-grade dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Barrett's esophagus is a well-recognized precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Surveillance of Barrett's esophagus patients is recommended to detect high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or early cancer. Because of wide variation in the published cancer incidence in Barrett's esophagus, the authors undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of cancer and HGD incidence in Barrett's esophagus. Ovid Medline (Ovid Technologies, Inc., New York, New York) and EMBASE (Elsevier, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) databases were searched for papers published between 1950 and 2006 that reported the cancer/HGD risk in Barrett's esophagus. Where possible, early incident cancers/HGD were excluded, as were patients with HGD at baseline. Forty-seven studies were included in the main analysis, and the pooled estimate for cancer incidence in Barrett's esophagus was 6.1/1,000 person-years, 5.3/1,000 person-years when early incident cancers were excluded, and 4.1/1,000 person-years when both early incident cancer and HGD at baseline were excluded. Corresponding figures for combined HGD/cancer incidence were 10.0 person-years, 9.3 person-years, and 9.1/1,000 person-years. Compared with women, men progressed to cancer at twice the rate. Cancer or HGD/cancer incidences were lower when only high-quality studies were analyzed (3.9/1,000 person-years and 7.7/1,000 person-years, respectively). The pooled estimates of cancer and HGD incidence were low, suggesting that the cost-effectiveness of surveillance is questionable unless it can be targeted to those with the highest cancer risk.

Prevalence of Barrett’s esophagus in patients with moderate to severe erosive esophagitis

AIM: To investigate the proportion of patients with moderate-severe erosive esophagitis (EE) who will have Barrett’s esophagus (BE) after healing of inflammation.

METHODS: Patients with EE of Los Angeles (LA) class B, C and D who underwent follow-up endoscopy documenting complete mucosal healing.

RESULTS: A total of 86/169 patients were suspected of having BE (38 before healing and 48 after healing of EE) and, 46/86 eventually had the histological confirmation. At index esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD), BE was suspected in 38/169 (22%), and ultimately, histologically confirmed in 20 of these. In 11 patients where biopsies were performed in the presence of inflammation, BE was detected in 2 and missed in 5 (including 2 dysplasias). In 131/169 patients (77.5%), BE was not suspected at index EGD. After healing of EE though, 48 patients had suspicion of BE who underwent biopsies, and in 26 of these histology was positive for BE. The length of inflammation had a linear correlation with the length of BE (P = 0.01). Out of multiple variables to predict BE, only the suspicion at index endoscopy was statistically significant (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION: BE was seen in 46/169 (27%) patients with EE of LA class B, C and D. The length of EE can predict the length of underlying BE segment. Even when suspected, BE and associated dysplasia can be missed in the presence of inflammation; therefore, repeat evaluation should be considered after complete healing of esophagitis.

Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma in adults: long-term GERD or something else?

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a highly lethal tumor and is currently the most rapidly rising incidence cancer in the Western world. Numerous risk factors in the development of Barrett's esophagus (BE) (a precursor of EAC) and EAC itself have been identified and are likely multifactorial. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a significant risk factor for BE and EAC; however, only a minority of patients with chronic GERD actually develop BE. Thus, other risk factors that modulate reflux-related inflammatory and neoplastic effects on esophageal epithelium must exist. Epidemiologic data have prompted initiation of chemopreventive trials using aspirin and proton pump inhibitors in the treatment of BE and EAC. Further research should also clarify the role of risk factors such as ethnicity and obesity in BE and EAC development and progression. Identification of prognostic factors would allow better risk stratification of patients and ultimately impact the rising incidence of EAC.

Clinicopathologic and prognostic factors of young and elderly patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma: is there really a difference?

Evidence suggests a significant difference in the incidence, presentation, and outcome of young and elderly patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma. We aimed to compare clinicopathologic and prognostic factors of young and elderly patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma at a surgical department in Europe. From 1996 to 2006, 223 patients with a resectable esophageal adenocarcinoma were analyzed and divided in three groups: (i) patients <or=50 years (n = 40); (ii) patients between 50 and 70 years (n = 131); and (iii) patients >70 years (n = 52). Clinicopathological and prognostic factors were compared between these groups. The total number of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma increased significantly. Although the total number of patients <or=50 years increased over the years, the proportion of young patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma was rather constant. The number of patients with a pT1-tumor was similar among all groups. Young patients had a significantly lower comorbidity and received more often a neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy. The 5-year survival rate of young patients was significantly higher compared with elderly patients. In this European population, the total number of patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus increased dramatically in recent years, but the number of young patients remained rather constant. The better prognosis of young patients is mainly caused by less comorbidity and more frequent use of neoadjuvant therapy.

Barrett's esophagus: incidence and prevalence estimates in a rural Mid-Western population

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Barrett's esophagus (BE) predisposes to adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and survival in esophageal adenocarcinoma is low. We studied patients diagnosed with BE in the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area (MESA). Our objectives were to estimate the prevalence of diagnosed BE, estimate the annual incidence of initial diagnosis of BE, and characterize the demographics of patients diagnosed with BE.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients diagnosed with BE until December 31, 2002. The esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) reports were reviewed to establish the presence of columnar epithelium. All slides were retrieved and reviewed by a gastrointestinal pathologist to establish the presence of intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia. Chart abstraction was conducted using a standardized form.

RESULTS

BE was histologically confirmed in 216 patients. All were white, 165 (76%) were male, and 81% had a hiatal hernia. Median age at diagnosis was 65.5 yr (range 17-94). Long-segment BE (LSBE) was present in 112 (51.9%) patients. The prevalence of histologically confirmed BE in MESA was 261.8 (95% CI 222.5-301.1) per 100,000 people. The incidence of an initial diagnosis of BE between 1996 and 2002 was 32.7 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 27.1-38.2) and did not change significantly over the study period despite an increase in EGD rates. At the initial diagnosis, 41.7% of the patients were on proton pump inhibitors. Dysplasia was present in 24.5% of patients.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of initial diagnosis of BE in a stable white population did not change significantly over a 7-yr period, despite an increase in EGD rates.

Cost-benefit analysis of capsule endoscopy compared with standard upper endoscopy for the detection of Barrett's esophagus

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Esophageal capsule endoscopy (ECE) is a promising new technology for the detection of esophageal pathology. Potential advantages for Barrett's esophagus (BE) screening include ability to return to work as a result of lack of intravenous sedation.

METHODS

We designed a Markov model to compare lifetime costs and life expectancy for a cohort of 50-year old men with chronic GERD for the presence of BE. We compared the base-case strategy of no screening for BE to 2 competing screening strategies: (1) ECE followed by upper endoscopy (EGD) if BE were suspected or if there was poor visualization on the ECE; and (2) standard sedated EGD with biopsy. Cost estimates were obtained from a third-party payer perspective. For each strategy we determined lifetime costs, life-years gained, numbers of esophageal cancers detected, death rates from esophageal cancer, and procedural deaths.

RESULTS

Initial EGD was more expensive but more effective compared with the no screening strategy. Assuming a theoretical cohort of 10,000 patients with GERD, initial EGD cost $1988 and was associated with 18.54 life-years compared with $2392 and 18.36 life-years for the ECE arm and $901 and 18.30 life-years for the no screening arm. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of screening with EGD compared with the no screening arm was $4530 per life-year gained. The model was robust to a wide range of sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Initial EGD appears more effective and less costly compared with ECE under base-case conditions for patients with chronic GERD undergoing screening for BE.