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. 2013 Jun;11(6):636-42.
doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2012.10.028. Epub 2012 Oct 25.

Safety and efficacy of endoscopic mucosal therapy with radiofrequency ablation for patients with neoplastic Barrett's esophagus

William J Bulsiewicz  1 , Hannah P Kim, Evan S Dellon, Cary C Cotton, Sarina Pasricha, Ryan D Madanick, Melissa B Spacek, Susan E Bream, Xiaoxin Chen, Roy C Orlando, Nicholas J Shaheen
Affiliations

Safety and efficacy of endoscopic mucosal therapy with radiofrequency ablation for patients with neoplastic Barrett's esophagus

William J Bulsiewicz et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Jun.

Abstract

Background & aims: The goal of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) is to eliminate dysplasia and metaplasia. The efficacy and safety of RFA for patients with BE and neoplasia are characterized incompletely.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 244 patients treated with RFA for BE with dysplasia or intramucosal carcinoma. Efficacy outcomes were complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CEIM), complete eradication of dysplasia, total treatments, and RFA sessions. Safety outcomes included death, perforation, stricture, bleeding, and hospitalization. We identified factors associated with incomplete EIM and stricture formation.

Results: CEIM was achieved in 80% of patients, and complete eradication of dysplasia was achieved in 87%; disease progressed in 4 patients. A higher percentage of patients with incomplete EIM were female (40%) than those with CEIM (20%; P = .045); patients with incomplete EIM also had a longer segment of BE (5.5 vs 4.0 cm; P = .03), had incomplete healing between treatment sessions (45% vs 15%; P = 0.004), and underwent more treatment sessions (4 vs 3; P = .007). Incomplete healing was associated independently with incomplete EIM. Twenty-three patients (9.4%) had a treatment-related complication during 777 treatment sessions (3.0%), including strictures (8.2%), postprocedural hemorrhages (1.6%), and hospitalizations (1.6%). Patients who developed strictures were more likely to use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs than those without strictures (70% vs 45%; P = .04), have undergone antireflux surgery (15% vs 3%; P = .04), or had erosive esophagitis (35% vs 12%; P = .01).

Conclusions: RFA is highly effective and safe for treatment of BE with dysplasia or early stage cancer. Strictures were the most common complications. Incomplete healing between treatment sessions was associated with incomplete EIM. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, prior antireflux surgery, and a history of erosive esophagitis predicted stricture formation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Dr. Shaheen reports research grants from BARRX Medical, Oncoscope, CSA Medical, Takeda, and Astra Zeneca. He is a consultant for CSA Medical, Astra Zeneca, Takeda, Oncoscope, and Neo Genomics. Dr. Dellon reports a research grant from Astra Zeneca and is a consultant for Oncoscope.

The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of treatment sessions to eliminate intestinal metaplasia.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Predicted number of treatment sessions to achieve CEIM by Prague M length
* * - Adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, NSAID use, presence of nodular disease, incomplete healing during treatment, medium or large hiatal hernia, and advanced histology (HGD, IMC).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Ablation is in the eye of the beholder.
    Wang KK. Wang KK. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Jun;11(6):643-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2013.02.028. Epub 2013 Mar 21. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013. PMID: 23524127 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

References

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