Now, by analyzing the genetic material in esophageal tissue cells, Dr. Brian Reid and others at the University of Washington are able to detect and treat the associated cancer earlier, with promising results. Surviving the cancer that can arise is not. Reid's patients have Barrett's esophagus, a condition in which the tube between the throat and the stomach has changed in a way that makes the tissue vulnerable to cancer. To get the best fit between patient and treatment, Reid, a gastroenterologist at the University of Washington Medical Center, goes beyond the standard tissue examination to study his patients' very chromosomes. Barrett's usually starts with heartburn, the backward flow of stomach acid and food into the esophagus that causes a burning sensation beneath the breastbone.
Some people call it indigestion.
Thirty-six percent of the population of the United States will have heartburn at least once a month. We're not talking about those people. For no known reason, white men older than 40 make up the majority of Barrett's cases. If someone has Barrett's esophagus and is at low risk for cancer, the treatment is generally medications and lifestyle changes aimed at preventing heartburn. Your stomach doesn't produce enzymes to break down fat, so your stomach churns to break it into small pieces.