BARRETT'SESOPHAGUSANDMANAGEMENTMODALITIES
Abstract
Barrett’sesophagus(BE)ischaracterizedbythereplacementofthenormalstratifiedsquamousepitheliumofthedistalesophaguswithmetaplasticcolumnarepithelium,aprocessthatrepresentsapremalignanttransformationwithawell‑establishedlinktoesophagealadenocarcinoma.Chronicgastroesophagealrefluxdisease(GERD)istheprincipalriskfactor,whileadditionalcontributorsincludeCaucasianethnicity,ageover50years,centralobesity,tobaccoexposure,andahistoryofpepticstricturesorerosiveesophagitis.Currentguidelinesrecommendselectivescreeningbasedonriskstratificationratherthanpopulation‑wideprograms.ThediagnosisofBErequiresendoscopicvisualizationofsuspectedmucosalchanges,systematicbiopsysampling,andhistopathologicalconfirmationofintestinalmetaplasia.Inthisreview,weaimtosynthesizecontemporaryevidenceontheepidemiology,molecularandcellularmechanismsofpathogenesis,andevolvingstrategiesforscreening,advanceddetection,andtherapeuticeradicationofBarrett’sesophagus