Barrett's esophagus

Barrett’s esophagus is a precancerous condition associated with an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. A diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus may cause psychological stress with a negative impact on patients’ quality of life. In line with the increasing prevalence of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, the incidence of Barrett’s esophagus has raised dramatically over the last decades, particularly in Europe. Several international guidelines and experts consensus on the diagnosis and management of Barrett’s esophagus have been published over the last years. There are still areas of controversy surrounding the diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus, in particular concerning the histological type of metaplastic epithelium, and treatment modalities, including medical therapy for chemoprevention and endoscopic techniques. The purpose of this review is to examine the current guidelines and recommendations, and report recent evidence from systematic reviews and clinical trials on epidemiology, diagnosis, surveillance and treatment of Barrett’s esophagus