Surveillance of Barrett's Esophagus and Mortality from Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Romy E. Verbeek*, Max Leenders, Fiebo J. W. ten Kate, Richard van Hillegersberg, Frank P. Vleggaar, Jantine W. P. M. van Baal, Martijn G. H. van Oijen, Peter D. Siersema

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Barrett's esophagus (BE) is associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Patients with a known diagnosis of BE are usually advised to participate in an endoscopic surveillance program, but its clinical value is unproven. Our objective was to compare patients participating in a surveillance program for BE before EAC diagnosis with those not participating in such a program, and to determine predictive factors for mortality from EAC.

METHODS: All patients diagnosed with EAC between 1999 and 2009 were identified in the nationwide Netherlands Cancer Registry. These data were linked to Pathologisch-Anatomisch Landelijk Geautomatiseerd Archief, the Dutch Pathology Registry. Prior surveillance was evaluated, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to identify predictors for all-cause mortality at 2-year and 5-year follow-up.

RESULTS: In total, 9,780 EAC patients were included. Of these, 791 (8%) patients were known with a prior diagnosis of BE, of which 452 (57%) patients participated in an adequate endoscopic surveillance program, 120 (15%) patients in an inadequate program, and 219 (28%) patients had a prior BE diagnosis without participating. Two-year (and five-year) mortality rates were lower in patients undergoing adequate surveillance (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.64-0.92) when compared with patients with a prior BE diagnosis who were not participating. Other factors associated with lower mortality from EAC were lower tumor stage (stage I vs. IV, HR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.16-0.23) and combining surgery with neoadjuvant chemo/radiotherapy (HR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.58-0.76).

CONCLUSIONS: Participation in a surveillance program for BE, but only if adequately performed, reduces mortality from EAC. Nevertheless, it remains to be determined whether such a program is cost-effective, as more than 90% of all EAC patients were not known to have BE before diagnosis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1215-1222
Number of pages8
JournalAmerican Journal of Gastroenterology
Volume109
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2014

Keywords

  • UNITED-STATES
  • SURVIVAL
  • CANCER
  • CARCINOMA
  • NETHERLANDS
  • TRENDS
  • STAGE
  • CHEMORADIOTHERAPY
  • METAANALYSIS
  • ENDOSCOPY

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