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Innovative Non-Surgical Treatment for Barrett's Esophagus KNOXVILLE, Tenn., July 27, 1995 -- An innovative, non-surgical treatment being developed at the Thompson Cancer Survival Center has the potential to reduce the risk of esophageal cancer for people with a condition known as Barrett's esophagus. The results of the Thompson Center's research using this therapy were published in the July, 1995 issue of "Gastrointestinal Endoscopy." Barrett's esophagus is a condition resulting from long standing acid reflux (heartburn), where the esophageal lining is converted to stomach-type tissue. The lining has the potential to develop dysplasia, a pre-malignant change. In fact, the likelihood of Barrett's patients developing esophageal cancer is 30 to 40 times that of the normal population. As many as 11,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with esophageal cancer in the next year. Estimates of the incidence of Barrett's esophagus range between 800,000 and two million cases. The new treatment is called balloon photodynamic therapy and the Thompson Cancer Survival Center is the only facility in the United States approved to use this type of investigational procedure to treat Barrett's esophagus. Most patients with severe dysplasia must undergo surgery for the removal of part of the esophagus to eliminate the Barrett's mucosa. This surgical procedure, called esophagectomy, is very difficult on the patient, causing major lifestyle changes and the potential for continuing medical problems. Esophagectomy also carries a relatively high mortality rate. In contrast, balloon Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is less invasive and is a more cost-effective treatment. PDT in Barrett's esophagus offers encouraging results in the elimination of Barrett's tissue without lingering side effects. "Our investigational research indicates that patient outcomes, when defined as lower morbidity, mortality, and costs, are improved by using PDT as the treatment for Barrett's dysplasia and/or superficial carcinoma," said Dr. Bergein Overholt, a gastroenterologist who led the study. Dr. Overholt, who has worked with the Thompson Center for the past six years in the development of the PDT procedure, feels the balloon PDT program could positively alter the incidence rate of esophageal cancers. "By treating Barrett's esophagus before it becomes cancerous, we have the potential to decrease the number of Barrett's patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer," said Dr. Overholt. PDT involves the use of a photosensitizing drug called PHOTOFRIN(R), and a special type of laser called an argon dye laser. The drug is injected into a vein and concentrates in abnormal tissue. When exposed to the special laser light, the drug produces a chemical reaction that kills the abnormal cells. The balloon is specifically designed to treat Barrett's esophagus because of the way it manipulates the treatment surface and improves the application of light. It was developed by researchers at the Thompson Cancer Survival Center in collaboration with the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee. "By using our knowledge of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of esophageal cancers, we were able to develop the balloon to target the treatment area more effectively for our Barrett's patients," said Masoud Panjehpour, Ph.D., a Research Scientist in the Laser Center at Thompson. "PDT is an exciting treatment and has been well tolerated by our patients," said Dr. Overholt. "The Cancer Center's work with Barrett's is indicative of the potential photodynamic therapy has for treating other types of cancerous and pre-cancerous conditions." E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version