An improved method for performing upper endoscopy examination for patients with heartburn increases detection of pre-cancerous cells in the esophagus by more than 40 percent, according to a study in Digestive Diseases and Sciences.
The number of reported cases of esophageal adenocarcinoma has increased by 600 percent in the past 25 years, making it the fastest growing form of cancer. It is also one of the most deadly, with a five-year survival rate of less than 20 percent.
The study found that adding a specialized brush biopsy with computer-assisted laboratory analysis of the specimen to the standard upper endoscopy procedure significantly improves detection of both Barrett's esophagus and esophageal dysplasia.
Read the Digestive Diseases and Sciences study on gastroenterology.
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