Originally published January 3 2006
Study finds a greater number of Americans are at risk for esophageal cancer than previously thought
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Jukka Ronkainen, MD, lead author of a study from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, claims that the research she oversaw provides evidence that more than 3 million Americans live with the condition known as Barret's esophagus, which can often lead to esophageal cancer.
According to estimates put forth in a study published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Gastroenterology, more than 3 million Americans are living with Barrett's esophagus, a condition that leads to esophageal cancer, one of the most rapidly increasing cancers in the United States.
These findings represent the first population-based estimates of the prevalence of Barrett's esophagus and show how frequently the disease occurs in people who do not have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), commonly thought to be a precursor to Barrett's.
According to study findings, Barrett's was nearly twice as prevalent in people with symptoms of reflux and those who had esophagitis than those who did not.
However, more than 40 percent of those who presented with the disease had no prior symptoms of reflux---giving credence to the theory that Barrett's can significantly impact people who present with no symptoms and that screening only those with reflux will not effectively capture all cases.
"Barrett's esophagus is associated with one of the most rapidly increasing cancers in the Western World and to this point, data on the prevalence of the disease in the general population have been unavailable," said Jukka Ronkainen, MD, lead study author from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet, the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and the Institute of Pathology in Bayreuth conducted a study using nearly 3,000 residents of two neighboring communities in Northern Sweden.
"We hope our study findings provide more than just a basis for screening initiatives, but we also hope it raises awareness among patients and physicians of how common Barrett's esophagus is in the general population," said Dr. Ronkainen.
This study was made possible in part by the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Society of Medicine and AstraZeneca R&D (Sweden).
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