Grant: Fellowship - Priority Announcement: Gastroenterology

Approximately 3 million Canadians have chronic acid reflux disease, and of those, roughly 800 thousand have Barrett's Esophagus (BE). BE is a change in the surface of the esophageal lining caused by regurgitation of stomach contents into the esophagus. BE that is the single most important risk factor for development of esophageal cancer. Diagnosis and monitoring of BE is currently done by endoscopy, which is a time consuming and uncomfortable procedure. Consequently only 1 in 20 patients participate in regular screening. Endoscopy requires highly trained medical professionals, specialized equipment, and is not a risk free procedure. In Canada alone, esophageal cancer affects approximately 1,500 new patients annually; most of which are identified at late stages and when treatment options are limited. If detected early, treatment of EAC is usually possible by removal of the cancerous area, leaving a normal esophageal lining after surgery. This project is developing a genetic test that will be able to replace regular endoscopies with a quick procedure that is easily performed in a family doctor's office. This technology will be able to identify patients progressing to cancer at early stages of the disease without endoscopy. We expect that the combination of this genetic test and the avoidance of regular endoscopies will increase the rate of BE patients enrolled in regular screening programs, enabling health care providers to identify and treat people who would otherwise succumb to esophageal cancer.