New Treatment for Barret's Esophagus

A new therapy has been developed that shows promise for treating Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition caused by chronic, severe acid reflux. Barrett's is difficult to diagnose and requires repeated endoscopic procedures coupled with random biopsies of suspect tissue. Moreover, Barrett's can progress to esophageal cancer, one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Numerous therapies are under investigation.

One new therapy uses a custom radio frequency (RF) generator and a single-use treatment catheter. The catheter is inserted endoscopically and positioned at the desired site. Then a short, controlled application of RF energy destroys the thin layer of precancerous cells, while the normal function of the muscular layer of the esophagus is preserved. The procedure is short, adding only an estimated 15 minutes to an endoscopy.

The new therapy was developed by Barrx Medical (West Monroe, LA, USA). The company believes the procedure will change the risk/benefit ratio in favor of early treatment of Barrett's, much as colonoscopy has changed the treatment of colon polyps, previously removed only by invasive surgery.

"Barrx Medical has developed a therapy with the safety, efficacy, and cost effectiveness to be routinely adopted by gastroenterologists for the treatment of Barrett's. We believe that none of the other therapies currently being investigated offer a workable solution,” said Roger Stern, Ph.D., a founder of Barrx and the president of Stellartech Research Corp. (Sunnyvale, CA, USA).



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Stellartech Research Corp.