Image of the Month: Barrett’s esophagus
Barrett’s esophagus is a condition that affects the lining of the esophagus – the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach – and increases the risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma, a serious and often deadly cancer.
The image this month shows how this condition looks under the microscope – an affected esophagus may show both normal tissue and diseased tissue with distinctive cellular characteristics. “Under the microscope, Barrett’s lesions show increased cell proliferation and a disorganized tissue when compared to normal tissue,” Jin said. “If these changes persists in the esophagus, the stage is likely set for cancer development.”
Dr. Jason Mills at Baylor College of Medicine and Dr. Ramon Jin, who was working in the Mills lab during this project and is now at Washington University School of Medicine, study the process that leads a healthy esophagus to develop Barrett’s esophagus, a prequel to cancer. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation they reveal how sustained heartburn can promote Barrett’s esophagus and molecular changes involved in the process.
Read the paper here and an interview with the authors, here.
Dr. Ramon Jin is an assistant professor in the John T. Milliken Department of Medicine at Washington University.
Dr. Jason Mills is the Herman Brown Endowed Professor of Medicine Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Baylor College of Medicine.
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