When the tissue that lines the esophagus (the muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach) changes to resemble that of the lining of the intestine, the condition is called Barrett's esophagus.
Affecting one to two million adults in the United States each year, usually white men over 50, Barrett's esophagus is commonly found in those who have suffered from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for a prolonged period of time. GERD occurs when the ring of muscle that keeps swallowed food and stomach acid from leaking backward into the esophagus doesn't close tightly enough. This can allow stomach acid to back up into the esophagus, causing the tissue damage that leads to Barrett's Esophagus.
Some patients with Barrett's esophagus develop further changes to the esophagus called dysplasia. Dysplasia increases the risk of getting cancer of the esophagus, but fewer than 1 percent of those with Barrett's esophagus develop cancer. Still, people who have Barrett's esophagus are 30 times more likely to get esophageal cancer than those who don't.