This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by
Pankaj Vashi, MD, AGAF, FASPEN, Vice Chief of Staff, City of Hope Chicago
This page was updated on May 23, 2022.
City of Hope's Barrett's esophagus treatment program in Chicago uses a multidisciplinary approach to address Barrett's esophagus, which is a risk factor for developing esophageal cancer.
Led by Pankaj Vashi, MD, and the gastroenterology team at City of Hope Chicago, the care team has an array of diagnostic tools and state-of-the-art treatment options to develop a treatment regimen designed to meet your individual needs.
Barrett's esophagus is a precancerous condition predominantly seen in patients with longstanding acid reflux disease. In patients with this condition, the tissue lining the esophagus—the food pipe that connects the mouth to the stomach—is replaced by abnormal, precancerous tissue.
Risk factors that can lead to the development of Barrett’s esophagus may include:
While most people with Barrett’s esophagus experience some symptoms, high-risk patients with Barrett’s esophagus may not notice any symptoms.
Common symptoms may include:
The diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus may be confirmed when a trained physician evaluates the tissue under a microscope. A tissue sample is obtained through an endoscopy performed with directed tissue biopsies.
At City of Hope, patients diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus are cared for by a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals who have access to a wide variety of options to either monitor Barrett's esophagus or treat the condition.
Some potential Barrett's esophagus treatment options are listed below.
If you have been previously diagnosed or are newly diagnosed with esophageal cancer, our multidisciplinary team of esophageal cancer experts will work together with you and one another to coordinate your care, and help you choose an individualized treatment plan tailored to your needs.
If you have one of the risk factors for Barrett’s esophagus or if your primary care physician believes you are a candidate to be screened for the condition, our gastroenterology experts will work with you to develop a personalized Barrett's esophagus screening strategy.
