Barrett's Esophagus

[Edit]

As kids the five Sitarski brothers were your typical pack of boys...they played baseball, cowboys and indians, they were best friends…but, today the brothers are battling a potentially fatal condition known as Barrett’s Esophagus. “In 2004 my brother had some problems with his throat, he was totally healthy, never had any problems, physical every year, when to the doctor, was diagnosed stage four cancer, he died nine months later and it was caused from Barrett’s,” says John Sitarski. Since his brother’s death, John and his younger brother have also been diagnosed with Barrett’s Esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition caused by chronic GERD, or reflux disease. “Due to chronic acid exposure from reflux, the cells that normally line the esophagus gradually transform into a type of lining which is more protective against acid irritation, so the lining instead of being a normal esophageal lining, it is like a stomach lining, the body is trying to protect itself against acid,” says Dr. Greg Haber of Lenox Hill Hospital. Since the cells lining the stomach are protected from contact with acid, their growth into the esophagus actually functions as a defense mechanism. It protects the normal tissue in the esophagus against further damage by GERD, but these tissue changes may be a forerunner of cancer.

“The real message is that if you have even mild heart burn or regurgitation, which has gone on for more than 5 years, or if it is new to you, and around the age of forty and it’s gone on for 2 years, I think that it’s very prudent to have an endoscope to have a look at that esophagus,” says Dr. Haber. If an endoscopy reveals a pre-cancerous condition, doctors can now destroy the bad tissue using heat and radiofrequency energy.

“We are able to put wires or electrodes on a balloon, and that goes into the esophagus and when we send radiofrequency energy through those wires, that creates a certain release of thermal energy or heat. What we do is heat up the tissue to a certain temperature where we get destruction just to the surface lining. We have to keep the burn barely superficial and by doing that we can get rid of those surface Barrett’s cells and then we get re-growth of a normal lining,” explains Dr. Haber.

 Last year, John’s diseased Barrett’s cells were eradicated thanks to this ablation therapy. “It is a miracle, I just hope it helps other people, and I hope people start to get checked,” says John. This ablation therapy also known as the halo system can take up to a half hour. Dr. Haber says that for most patients, treatment can be done in one session, but, there may be small areas like at the very bottom, where the esophagus joins the stomach, that may need a second go-around to ensure all the diseased cells were removed.


Disclaimer

Featured Doctors

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care Bronx, NY

 Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
Eastchester Center for Cancer Care

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10649

Call: (888) 860-7136

Breast Cancer Treatment Center

 Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Cancer Treatment Centers of America
10109 E. 79th Street (81st Street & Highway 169)
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74133

Call: 800-651-3165

Cancer Treatment Center Tulsa, Oklahoma

 Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Cancer Treatment Centers of America
10109 E. 79th Street (81st Street & Highway 169)
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74133

Call: 800-655-1253

Gastrointestinal Disorder Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Gastrointestinal Surgeon Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Oncologist Bronx, NY

 Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
Eastchester Center for Cancer Care

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10469

Call: (888) 860-7136

Cancer Treatment Center Seattle, Washington

 Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Cancer Treatment Centers of America
900 SW 16th Street, Suite 100
Renton, WA 98057

Call: 800-641-2674

Gastrointestinal Surgery Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

GI Tract Surgery Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Gastrointestinal Surgeon Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Colon Cancer Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Gastrointestinal Surgery Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Colorectal Surgery Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Cancer Treatment Center Jacksonville, Florida

 Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Cancer Treatment Centers of America
1331 East Wyoming Avenue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19124

Call: 800-310-4403

Gastrointestinal Disorder Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Colon Cancer Treatment Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Rectal Cancer Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Cancer Treatment Center Chicago, Illinois

 Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Cancer Treatment Centers of America
2520 Elisha Avenue
Zion, Illinois 60099

Call: 800-403-7412

GI Tract Surgery Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Breast Cancer Surgery Westchester, New York

 The Columbia University Comprehensive Breast Center at Lawrence Hospital
The Columbia University Comprehensive Breast Center at Lawrence Hospital

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Colon Cancer Treatment Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Colon Cancer Westchester, NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Colon Cancer Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Cancer Treatment Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Cancer Treatment Centers of America
1331 East Wyoming Avenue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19124

Call: 800-821-6032

Rectal Cancer Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Colorectal Surgery Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Colorectal Surgery Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Colorectal Surgery Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351