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Postgrad Med J 2007;83:529-535 doi:10.1136/pgmj.2006.052910
  • Review

Molecular changes in the progression of Barrett’s oesophagus

  1. Edyta Zagorowicz1,
  2. Janusz Jankowski2,*
  1. 1Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
  2. 2Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
  1. Correspondence to:
 Professor Janusz Jankowski
 Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Radcliffe Infirmary, University of Oxford OX2 6HE, UK; janusz.jankowski{at}clinpharm.ox.ac.uk
  • Received 31 August 2006
  • Accepted 26 February 2007

Abstract

Barrett’s oesophagus is a frequent complication of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease predicting oesophageal adenocarcinoma. The majority of Barrett’s patients will not develop cancer, so that specific methods of identification of those at risk are required. Recent molecular studies have identified a selection of candidate biomarkers that need validation in prospective studies. They reflect various changes in cell behaviour during neoplastic progression. The ASPECT trial in the UK aims to establish whether chemoprevention with aspirin and a proton pump inhibitor will reduce adenocarcinoma development and mortality in patients with Barrett’s oesophagus. It will also validate biomarkers for progression and clinical response and further study disease pathogenesis.

Footnotes

  • ↵* Also Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland, and Digestive Diseases Centre, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, UK

  • Funding: Cancer Research UK, University Hospitals of Leicester and Polish Foundation of Gastroenterology

  • Conflict of interest: none stated

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