Barrett's oesophagus and associated cancer : the influence of bile acid regulated genetic factors and intestinal transcription factors in the pathogenesis

Abstract

Gastrooesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is very common and it is estimated that up to 20% of the western population will experience weekly heartburn. The initial simple mucosal damage can lead to further complications like peptic stricture, transformation to Barrett's oesophagus (BO) and subsequent oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC). The incidence of the premalignant condition BO and associated OAC is rapidly rising in the western world. Gastric acid reflux as a leading cause of the mucosal damage in GORD is well established and described in very early publications but bile acids (BA) are an important component as well.