Clinical Trials

To assess the effect of ablation therapy on Barrett's esophagus. Proposal Ablation therapy is an FDA approved treatment to decrease cancer risk in Barrett's esophagus mucosa. This is being performed in our Barrett's Esophagus Unit on a regular basis. However, the longterm outcomes of this therapy is not established and there are patients who have been treated who later re-develop Barrett's mucosa. This study will allow us store tissue samples that can later be used to assess the effect of ablative therapy on Barrett's esophagus.

This research study is trying to determine whether Barrett's esophagus and associated esophageal cancers, specifically esophageal adenocarcinoma are inherited in certain families. Persons who are affected with Barrett's esophagus or esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma type) are asked to complete a questionnaire that determines their habits and asks a detailed family history. Family members of patients seen at University Hospitals of Cleveland and the Cleveland Clinic are also being recruited for screening tests of their esophagus. The investigators plan to eventually screen family members at all participating institutions. This research will eventually lead to the identification of inherited genetic changes that cause Barrett's esophagus and esophageal cancer. It will help the investigators develop better methods for preventing or identifying esophageal cancer at an early curable stage.

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease in which the normal squamous lining of the esophagus is replaced by specialized columnar epithelium.1 Approximately 5%-10% of patients diagnosed with BE are thought to be at risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma.2 Patients with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) on biopsy are at the greatest cancer risk³. EMR is being performed clinically in our Barrett's Esophagus Unit on a regular basis during endoscopy for patients with Barrett's Esophagus and/or early esophageal adenocarcinoma. There are two predominant endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) techniques exist using FDA approved devices - the EMR cap method using a transparent cap/snare combination and the endoscopic variceal ligation method using a band ligator/snare combination to resect tissue.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether cryotherapy is effective in the treatment of persistent high grade dysplasia (HGD) or early esophageal adenocarcinoma (IMCA) in patients who have not responded to radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

This study is being done to advance the understanding of how esophagus cancer and Barrett's Esophagus develop as well as ways to treat these conditions.  This will be done by analyzing blood and tissue to identify genes that may be involved in the development of esophagus cancer and Barrett's Esophagus.

A group of doctors and scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, along with doctors from many other medical centers throughout the US, are working together to advance our understanding of Barrett's esophagus and esophagus cancer. The main aim of the present study is to collect blood for future testing. Once all the samples have been collected, tests to identify genes that may be involved in the development of Barrett's will be performed. A future goal is to learn if there is a genetic difference between those people who have Barrett's and develop cancer, and those who do not.