Barrett's Esophagus Survival Rates Same as in General Population

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The survival rates of patients with Barrett's esophagus are no different than the survival rates for the general population, according to a recent study.

The Mayo Clinic study examined survival rates of Barrett's esophagus patients from Olmsted County, Minnesota, over the past 3 decades, compared with a control group of patients. Of the 366 patients studied, average patient age was 63 years, and included 72% men and 28% women. All patients with a diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus from 1977 to 2006 were identified using the Rochester Epidemiology Project resources in Olmsted County and confirmed via review of medical records. Only patients from Olmsted County were selected to reduce referral and selection bias.

Survival data and cause of death were ascertained from medical records. Overall survival at 10 years after diagnosis was 68%. Causes of death included cardiovascular disease (28%), dementia (7%), and esophageal cancer (7%). The overall survival of this group was comparable to that of a control sample from the 2000 US census.

“Our population-based study found that Barrett's esophagus patients are at no greater risk of dying than the rest of the population,” says Ganapathy Prasad, MD, Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and lead author of the study. “Patients who receive this diagnosis should seek proper treatment and care, but should also know that their odds of dying from esophageal cancer are low.” The study was presented October 26, 2009, at the 2009 American College of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting in San Diego.