Barrett's Esophagus clinical trials at University of California Health

The purpose of this research study is to learn about the best approach to sample patients with known or suspected Barrett's esophagus (BE) by comparing the standard Seattle biopsy protocol to sampling using wide area transepithelial sampling (WATS3D). Barrett's esophagus is a common condition that is used to spot patients at increased risk of developing a type of cancer in the esophagus (swallowing tube) called esophageal adenocarcinoma. The 5-year survival rate is as low as 18% for patients who get esophageal adenocarcinoma, but the rate may be improved if the cancer is caught in its early stages. Barrett's esophagus can lead to dysplasia, or precancerous changes, which occurs when cells look abnormal but have not developed into cancer. If the abnormal cells increase from being slightly abnormal (low-grade dysplasia), to being very abnormal (high-grade dysplasia), the risk of developing cancer (esophageal adenocarcinoma) goes up. Therefore, catching dysplasia early is very important to prevent cancer. Endoscopic surveillance is a type of procedure where endoscopists run a tube with a light and a camera on the end of it down a patients throat and remove a small piece of tissue. The piece of tissue, called a biopsy, is about the size of the tip of a ball-point pen and is checked for abnormal cells and cancer cells. Patients are being asked to be in this research study because they have been diagnosed with BE or suspected to have BE, and will need an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Patients with BE undergo sampling using the Seattle biopsy protocol during which samples are obtained from the BE in a four quadrant fashion every 2 cm along with target biopsies from any abnormal areas within the BE. Another sampling approach is WATS3D which utilizes brushings from the BE. While both of these procedures are widely accepted approaches to sampling patients with BE during endoscopy, there is not enough research to show if one is better than the other. Participants in this study will undergo sampling of the BE using both approaches (Seattle biopsy protocol and WATS-3D); the order of the techniques will be randomized. Up to 2700 participants will take part in this research. This is a multicenter study involving several academic, community and private hospitals around the country.

The purpose of this study is to learn the best approach to treating patients with known or suspected Barrett's esophagus by comparing endoscopic surveillance to endoscopic eradication therapy. To diagnose and manage Barrett's esophagus and low-grade dysplasia, doctors commonly use procedures called endoscopic surveillance and endoscopic eradication therapy. Endoscopic surveillance is a type of procedure where a physician will run a tube with a light and a camera on the end of it down the patients throat and remove a small piece of tissue. The piece of tissue, called a biopsy, is about the size of the tip of a ball-point pen and is checked for abnormal cells and cancer cells. Endoscopic eradication therapy is a kind of surgery which is performed to destroy the precancerous cells at the bottom of the esophagus, so that healthy cells can grow in their place. It involves procedures to either remove precancerous tissue or burn it. These procedures can have side effects, so it is not certain whether risking those side effects is worth the benefit people get from the treatments. While both of these procedures are widely accepted approaches to managing the condition, there is not enough research to show if one is better than the other. Barrett's esophagus and low-grade dysplasia does not always worsen to high-grade dysplasia and/or cancer. In fact, it usually does not. So, if a patient's dysplasia is not worsening, doctors would rather not put patients at risk unnecessarily. On the other hand, endoscopic eradication therapy could possibly prevent the worsening of low-grade dysplasia into high-grade dysplasia or cancer (esophageal adenocarcinoma) in some patients. Researchers believe that the results of this study will help doctors choose the safest and most effective procedure for their patients with Barrett's esophagus and low-grade dysplasia. This is a multicenter study involving several academic, community and private hospitals around the United States. Up to 530 participants will be randomized. This study will also include a prospective observational cohort study of up to 150 Barrett's esophagus and low grade dysplasia patients who decline randomization in the randomized control trial but undergo endoscopic surveillance (Cohort 1) or endoscopic eradication therapy (Cohort 2), and are willing to provide longitudinal observational data.