Esophageal cancer rarely arises suddenly, much more often for him to precede such states as «Barrett's esophagus» And, it would seem a banal heartburn. Therefore, if you often suffer from heartburn, be on the mood, only two steps are left before the esophagus cancer.
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Millions of people in the world suffer from heartburn. This is a specific feeling of burning beast. Heartburn is a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease and arises due to a long contact of sour (pH < 4) gastric and / or duodenal content with esophagus mucous membrane. This leads to an inflammatory damage to the distal (remote) part of the esophagus.Whether it should be frivolous to heartburn? Absolutely not. The long-term contact of the active chemical gastric and duodenal contents with a flat-pointed epithelium of the esophagus of the esophagus can lead to gradual substitution of its cylindrical (cylinder-cell epithelium metaplasia). As a result, a disease is developed, known in gastroenterology and oncology as «Barrett's esophagus». The first description of the disease was made in 1950. English surgeon by Norman Barrett.
«Barrett's esophagus» is a precancerous disease. The risk of developing adenocarcinoma on the background of Barrett's esophagus is 30 - 125 times higher than in other cases. In 30 - 50% of patients with Barrett's esophagus, a cancer (adenocarcinoma) of the esophagus is developing. The results of the treatment of common form of esophageal cancer bad.
Is it possible to cure a patient sick «Barrett's esophagus» or esophagus cancer? The development of modern diagnostic and treatment methods allow you to answer this question with great optimism. For this there are a number of prerequisites. Esophagus cancer on background «Barrett's esophagus» develops for a long time. Changes in the epithelium of the mucous membrane of the esophagus pass several stages in their development before cancer transformation (metaplasia-cancer). Timely treatment of the patient to a gastroenterologist and / or oncologist will allow to begin prevention and treatment «Barrett's esophagus» Long before the development of cancer. Diagnosis of esophageal cancer at an early stage of the disease gives the patient also a chance for full recovery.
The main diagnostic method is esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Therefore, with a long existing heartburn, it is necessary to fulfill this routine current study. However, if suspected «Barrett's esophagus» A number of additional research is required (chromoendoscopy, optical coherent tomography, magnifying endoscopy, endosonography, multiple biopsy with high-quality morphological examination, diagnosis of gene violations by cytofluometry methods and immunohistochemia, etc.). In this regard, patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and «Barrett's esophagus» Must undergo a survey in specialized clinics.
It should be understood that from a correct diagnosis, and according to the choice of rational treatment tactics, the forecast in terms of the development of esophageal cancer on the background «Barrett's esophagus».
Therefore, it is necessary to systematically undergo prophylactic inspections and inform the doctor about any violations of health, difficulty difficulties, the passage of coarse food.
Since external factors contributing to the development of esophageal cancer include improper nutrition (abuse of very hot, pickled food, vitamin A and C), as well as smoking and alcohol abuse, with a prophylactic purpose, it is advisable to abandon the bad habits and normalize nutrition.
