Reflux disease manifests as acid regurgitation and heartburn and is a known risk factor for esophageal cancer.
Reviewed by Lily Ramsey, LLMSep 13 2023 However, a new study published in The BMJ by researchers at Karolinska Institutet now reports that the majority of patients do not have a higher risk of cancer. A large-scale study from three Nordic countries shows that the cancer risk is only elevated in patients whom gastroscopy reveals to have changes in the esophageal mucosa.
In reflux disease, acidic stomach contents leak into the esophagus. This can sometimes cause inflammation in the oesophageal mucus membrane , which is diagnosed via gastroscopy. It is common knowledge that reflux disease increases the risk of oesophageal cancer, but what the cancer risk is for patients with normal mucosa has remained unknown.
Our study suggests that these repeated gastroscopies are probably unnecessary for people with reflux disease who have a normal esophageal mucosa. These findings should be reassuring for this large patient group and can guide GPs who often treat them." The present study is based on national health data registries in Sweden, Denmark and Finland, and included over 285,000 individuals with reflux disease and no gastroscopic evidence of oesophagitis.
Related StoriesBy way of comparison, the researchers also analyzed the cancer risk in over 200,000 individuals with reflux disease and esophagitis. These people were at a clearly increased relative risk of developing oesophageal cancer.
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Study shows no increase in cancer risk for most patients with reflux diseaseReflux disease manifests as acid regurgitation and heartburn and is a known risk factor for esophageal cancer. However, a new study published in The BMJ by researchers at Karolinska Institutet now reports that the majority of patients do not have a higher risk of cancer. A large-scale study from three Nordic countries shows that the cancer risk is only elevated in patients whom gastroscopy reveals to have changes in the esophageal mucosa.
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