Linda:

My younger brother has had Barrett's since I was dx'd with EC 8 1/2 years ago. He has it scoped regularly. As I understand it, only a small % of Barret's goes into EC. Still, as ya'll have done, it bears close watching.

I'm glad you caught it early. I hope things go well. We'll add you to our prayer list.

All the best,

Fred

Thanks Fred. Your post is reassuring. We should know more on Monday, when we find out the result of the biopsies.

Hi Linda: I was surprised when you said the treatment for Barrett's would be painful. I haven't heard that before. I think there is someone else on the board who comes regularly that had Barrett's for 10 years and they watched it regularly. After 10 years(?) I think he said his did become cancerous and he was treated for it. I can't remember if he had chemo, radiation & surgery or just surgery? Perhaps he'll post here and give more information of what he had while they were watching his. I was assuming they just did a scope to watch it. I did have some laser scope treatments, but they weren't painful at all, as I was sedated just like having a scope and mine was done in hopes of improving my swallowing before having chemo.

I agree with Fred in that when I was told I had Barrett's from a scope & waited for biopsy results, I read up on Barrett's and at that time (about 4 1/2 years ago) the pamphlet said only about 1%-5% of those with Barrett's ever wind up having cancer from it. Course, my biopsy came back that I did have it. Regardless it definitely is something to have watched, checked out, and second opinions are not out of the question when warranted. Hoping his biopsy comes back no cancer & that he is watched so he doesn't have to deal with EC. Hope your sister is doing better? Brenda

Let me re-word my above sentence regarding watching. I didn't mean that by watching means a person won't still get cancer, but if it turns to cancer and they can't prevent it, then at least it is caught early and that always seems to be a good thing! So definitely good to keep an eye on Barretts :-)

Thanks Brenda. We go to our family doctor on Monday, Feb. 4, to hear the results of the biopsies. Colon cancer runs in his family so I know that he is at increased risk for gastrointestinal cancer. However, I'm thankful that this was found early and we can watch it now, or act quickly, if needed.

Hi Linda - I think I'm the one Brenda was talking about. Yes I had Barrett's for over ten years before it went to the next stage. The treatment for Barrett's is typically prilosec or nexium type medication that cuts the production of acid and helps stop any further damage to the esophagus. The doctor will typically do a scope and biopsy either yearly or every 2 years, I personally would recommend yearly, as this thing needs to be caught early.
If in the rare event Barrett's does progress and the biopsy catches things at an early enough stage (stage 0) they will usually just do an operation and remove some lymph nodes and the esophagus. Based on the analysis of what they take out they then decide if chemo and radiation is then required. The best trick to beating this thing is to get it early by having those regular scopes and biopsies.
I have heard they are doing other treatment for Barretts nowadays involving the removal of cells by laser or scraping, I can't comment on that as these things were after my time. Good to catch things at the Barretts stage though.

Yes, Clipper - you were the one I was talking about :-) I'm glad you saw her post. Linda, I did have 5 laser procedures before starting chemo - my gastro Dr. was trying to make the tumor smaller, so when I had chemo/radiation it might give me an advantage with less of a swallowing problem. So, if they do laser, like mine - it was done just like an EGD (scope), so I felt no pain.

Thanks everyone for your input. Thankfully, the biopsies came back with no cancer at all. My husband is on Prilosec now, and we will keep a vigilant watch, as Clipper and Fred have suggested.

That's great news, Linda I'm sure you are all very relieved. Hope your sister is doing better too.

Linda,
I am very happy for you. Please make sure your husband is seeing the best doctor possible. Try a university/research hospital for a second opinion, even if you have to travel. If you and your husband could do anything to avoid the anguish we are going through, you would do it. Ask the doctor what he would do if in your shoes.
Please encourage him to do whatever is physically possible to reduce symptoms--losing weight, avoiding alcohol, light meals at night, raised bed and exercise. Acid blockers can also be taken more than once a day if symptoms do not go away. God bless you and pray for his good health, and yours. Prayers work, ask others to pray for you also.

Thank you Prayinglots. Yes, he is very happy to make life changes which will reduce his chances of getting this. A second opinion is a good idea too.

my brother has a tumor on his pancreais he cant eat the food is making him sick so Dr did the scope found another tumor on his esophageas so i hope if they shrink the tumor and the one on his pancreais it might give him more time has anyone had anything simuliar to this. Thank you

What I'm so confused about is I have finally recently been diagnosed with Barrett's after 15 years of having issues. I am only 31 years old and a mom of four boys the oldest being 11 and the youngest being 10 months. I am worried sick about what this means. They said they have to watch me and do a scope every year. Is there anything that can reverse it or lower the risks of getting the cancer? I am just disappointed to hear that a majority of the people here still get the cancer after several years of living with Barrett's. Is there anyone who lives to their 80s and not have anything happen? lol. I am beyond terrified. I just cannot believe I have this at my age and who knows for how long because I started having swallowing problems ten years ago if not longer. And I have have H Pylori twice. (now eradicated).
Is Barrett's reversible?
I live in a state where there is only one GI dr in the entire state.... We plan to move to a more populated area soon for better medical care for all of us.
I also have very low thyroid functions and swollen glands, is this related at all?

Of course you're scared! Thankfully, there are effective treatments for Barrette's now. I live near Mayo Clinic in MN and have an acquaintance who's having ablation treatments there every two months. I think this involves radio waves slowly removing the involved tissue until only health tissue remains. Even if the dysplasia from Barrett's (BE) goes onto cancer, it'd be caught so early that your chances of a full cure would be excellent. I had "silent GERD" for years, so the only symptom leading to my Stage 3 EC was difficulty swallowing pills occasionally. Knowledge is power, my friend, so research the hell out of this BE condition and get yourself to a GI specializing in treating it!!

I had another thought - along the lines of information. There are two types of EC: adenocarcinoma (lower esophagus and caused by acid reflux) and squamous cell (mid to upper esophagus and most often caused by heavy alcohol and/or tobacco use). Unless alcohol is causing reflux, moderate use shouldn't be an issue for BE.