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Barrett esophagus
Make it clearer
Barrett esophagus means that the layer of cells lining the lower esophagus has changed. Picture that surface as a protective lining exposed to repeated irritation when stomach contents flow backward during reflux. Over time, some of its cells may be replaced by abnormal ones.
The key term is Barrett esophagus. Those abnormal cells can eventually become esophageal cancer, but finding this change does not, by itself, tell us what will happen in any one person.
In brief
Barrett esophagus is a condition in which the cells lining the lower esophagus change or are replaced by abnormal cells. This change matters because some of those cells can progress to esophageal cancer, although this overview cannot predict what will happen in any one person.
Reflux, the backward flow of stomach contents, can repeatedly irritate the esophagus and contribute to the development of Barrett esophagus over time.
Sources (1)
- National Cancer InstituteDefinition of Barrett esophagus
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated