Reflux treatments reduce risk of esophageal cancer
GERD affects 10% to 20% of adults in Western populations and has been known to be an increased risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma. Research on the association between antireflux medication or surgery and risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma has remained limited, although the typical approach has been to treat reflux aggressively when there are precancerous changes like Barrett’s esophagus.
A new population-based cohort study showed medical and surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease showed similar reductions in risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma.
“These findings support the hypothesis that antireflux medication and antireflux surgery are associated with reduced risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD],” wrote John Maret-Ouda, MD, PhD, a physician in the department of molecular medicine and surgery at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden.
