Barrett’s esophagus (BE), as a more frequent complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a metaplastic condition in which the normal squamous epithelium of the esophagus is replaced by specialized intestinal metaplastic epithelium, and that, in about 10% of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the main condition for dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the cardia is rapidly increasing at a rate that exceeds that of any other cancer. Recently, acid suppression with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has become the cornerstone of treatment for patients with BE. Many worldwide investigations showed that PPI is effective in the regression of BE with low-grade dysplasia and especially for the regression of intestinal metaplasia, incomplete or complete, for long-term use of these medicaments. This chapter reviews the specific endpoints of such treatment, included and our results for this dilemma.
Part of the book: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease