Active clinical trials for "Barrett Esophagus"

In a small group of people gluten, a storage protein commonly in wheat and other grains, can cause gut inflammation and symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal pain. Gluten-related disorders include celiac disease (CD) and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and are treated by starting a gluten free diet (GFD). Patients with CD and NCGS also more commonly experience esophageal reflux and damage to the lining of the esophagus. A potential consequence of long-standing heartburn is Barrett's esophagus (BE), a major risk factor for cancer of the esophagus. This study aims to investigate the mechanism that leads to reflux and BE in those with gluten related disorders, and to assess if a GFD is beneficial. We will study the upper gut function and reflux activity in patients with BE both with and without a GRD disorder. Testing will occur before and after a gluten free diet is instituted. The results will help inform health care providers and patients about the connection between gluten-related disorders, reflux, BE, and the role of GFD.

Endoscopy plays a pivotal role in the management (diagnosis and treatment) of Barrett's related neoplasia. The standard endoscopy is generally done under white light, which is known to be imperfect in detecting early neoplastic lesion. Narrow band imaging (NBI) improves definition of the superficial morphology and vasculature of GI mucosa. Some studies have shown the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce the number of biopsies required for Barrett's related neoplasia. This can ultimately improve the cost-effectiveness of endoscopic surveillance. The ability to discriminate between healthy and diseased tissue also makes NBI a useful technique for the delineation of lesions to treat with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). However not all studies provide evidence of diagnostic utility. Also the majority of these studies have been conducted by expert endoscopists, which makes the results difficult to extend to general endoscopy practice. The limited number of Barrett's specialists in certain areas of the country validates the need for a study to investigate whether there is an objective improvement in detection and delineation of Barrett's neoplastic lesions by less experienced observers. The aim of this study was to determine the utility of non-magnified NBI in non-expert identification of lesions as compared to expert endoscopists as well as the inter-observer agreement among endoscopists on WLE and NBI.

The study is to test a decision aid that is designed to help patients make decision regarding management of their gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Once the decision aid is constructed we will test and assess the aid on ~100 patients who have GERD to assess effectiveness.

Our institution performs therapeutic ERCP (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ), Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and Interventional Endoscopy in around 1000 patients a year. Procedures such as biliary and/or pancreatic sphincterotomy, stents placement (metallic or plastic) and removal for revision, cysts and pseudocysts drainage are conducted in patients suffering from pancreatico-biliary disorders, gastrointestinal disorders and esophageal disorders. The investigators would like to assess prospectively the efficacy and safety of these routine procedures to permit identification of technical details about the procedures or other factors which might be associated with outcome or results. Assessment of these details would help us with problem identification and recommendations to improve health outcomes and quality of life in these patients.

The overall goal of the study is to determine whether imaging with the low-cost High Resolution Microendoscope(HRME) will increase the efficiency and yield of the current standard of endoscopic surveillance of Barrett's esophagus. We believe the HRME will provide an in-vivo "optical biopsy" that will be comparable to gold standard histopathology and allow the endoscopist to make a more informed decision about whether to obtain a biopsy or even perform endoscopic therapy (i.e. endoscopic mucosal resection, EMR).

Analysis of long term outcomes of patients undergoing endoscopic mucosal resection for Barrett's oesophagus with high grade dysplasia and/or early intramucosal carcinoma (IMC).

Barrett's oesophagus is a condition in which the area between the oesophagus and stomach no longer closes, allowing acidic contents of the stomach to enter the oesophagus and damage the lining. The project aims to assist clinicians by offering informed biopsy process, in which the system presents the operator with clinical outcomes of patients with visually similar GI tracts. The project goal is to assess the use of artificial intelligence-based similarity detection systems to better inform biopsy placement, increasing the reliability of bi-yearly inspections.

The primary purpose of this study is to test new methods to diagnose BE in time before it turns into advanced cancer. Once BE is diagnosed, the current standard of care is to monitor the disease so that complication such as cancer can be diagnosed early. The two new methods the investigators are evaluating are: a) blood test and b) brush test of the food pipe. The investigators will collect blood, bile and cells from the food pipe and stomach and measure for a biomarker called microRNA (miRNA). In the future, measurements of microRNA biomarkers could help the doctors figure out which patients are at increased risk for cancer of the esophagus.

The purpose of this study is to provide a tool for physicians to compare outcome data related to the use of the HALO Ablation Systems. This study is a single-center patient registry which will contribute to a framework for treatment and follow-up of patients with Barrett's Esophagus.

Acetic acid chromoendoscopy is an established standard technique used to detect dysplasia within the gastrointestinal tract. Acetic acid spray helps to identify neoplasia by highlighting the surface pattern, highlighting the vascular pattern and by a process known as the aceto-whitening reaction, where tissues take acetic acid and turn white for a brief period and then slowly revert back to a normal colour. The neoplastic surface and vascular pattern are all very well described, and have played a big role in the recognition of early cancer. The aceto-whitening reaction is well described but the differential in timing between neoplastic and non-neoplastic areas is not well understood. The investigators aim to establish the differential in the timing of the disappearance of the aceto-whitening reaction between healthy tissue, dysplastic tissue, intramucosal cancer and invasive cancer after acetic acid dye spray in the oesophagus and colon. By understanding this better, the investigators may be able to predict with greater accuracy whether a highlighted abnormal area is cancer or high grade dysplasia, or whether it is low grade dysplasia or inflammation, which has significant prognostic implications for the patient. The investigators hypothesize that the differential in the timing of the disappearance of the aceto-whitening reaction between normal and abnormal tissue could help in the detection of gastrointestinal neoplasia.