Barrett's Esophagus Symptoms
Barrett's esophagus may cause no symptoms itself, a small number of people with this condition develop a relatively rare but often deadly type of cancer of the esophagus called esophageal adenocarcinoma. Barrett's esophagus is associated with the very common condition gastroesophageal reflux disease or
GERD. About 700,000 adults in the United States are estimated to be affected.
Barrett's esophagus, also called Barrett's epithelium is a condition in which the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food and saliva from the mouth to the stomach, changes so that some of its lining is replaced by a type of tissue similar to that normally found in the intestine. This process is called intestinal
metaplasia.
Symptoms of GERD that also may be associated with Barrett's esophagus or even rarely esophageal cancer include:
- Bleeding. You may vomit red blood or blood that looks like coffee grounds.
- Trouble swallowing. Often, a narrowing of the esophagus (esophageal stricture) leads to difficulty swallowing,
dysphagia.
- Weight loss. You may experience an unexpected drop in weight.
- Unusual stools. Your stools may be black, tarry or bloody.
Many physicians recommend that adult patients who are over the age of 40 and have had GERD symptoms for a number of years have endoscopy to see whether they have Barrett's esophagus. See your doctor if you've had long-term trouble with heartburn and acid reflux. Talk to your doctor as soon as possible if
you:
- Have difficulty swallowing
- Are vomiting red blood or blood that looks like coffee grounds
- Are passing black, tarry or bloody stools
- Experience an unexpected weight loss
Screening for this condition in people who have no symptoms is not
recommended.
Barrett's Esophagus Symptoms to B
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