Radiofrequency endoscopic ablation has become an effective and safe option that can help reduce the progression of both dysplasia and adenocarcinoma by a considerable percentage.
Barrett’s esophagus is a disease that directly affects the mucosa of the esophagus. It is caused by the uncontrolled reflux of acids found in the stomach into the esophagus, replacing normal cells with intestinal metaplasia-type epithelial cells, which has a high risk of progressing to dysplasia, which in turn has the risk of progressing to esophageal cancer -also known as adenocarcinoma- if not treated correctly.
Radiofrequency ablation, a new treatment
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a novel therapeutic technique capable of eliminating abnormal epithelium, i.e. metaplasia, dysplasia and adenocarcinoma through a simple procedure that involves few complications.
This RFA method is primarily an endoscopic technique that uses heat energy to eradicate the unwanted epithelium. Thus, a superficial burn is caused in the esophageal mucosa in order to return it to a squamous epithelium, that is to say, to recover its normal mucosa. In order to successfully complete this process, several sessions spaced over time may be necessary.
Nowadays, the indications for radiofrequency endoscopic ablation in Barrett’s esophagus depend mainly on the presence or absence of dysplasia and the depth of involvement. However, the implementation of this novel technique has been preceded by a large number of studies that support its results.
One of the main advantages of this endoscopic treatment is that there are hardly any complications in patients with superficial adenocarcinoma.
At the same time, research has demonstrated the effectiveness of the Radiofrequency Ablation technique in slowing down the progression of dysplasia, thus preventing the formation of adenocarcinoma.
Does Radiofrequency Ablation have side effects?
Complications derived from Radiofrequency Ablation treatment are infrequent, and in the event that they do appear, they are usually very mild and can be easily controlled.
The treatment chosen for patients with Barrett’s Esophagus will vary depending on the characteristics of both the treatment and the patient.
On the other hand, there are ablative techniques that can be used in patients with these conditions, although considering both short and long term benefits and incidences, Radiofrequency Ablation stands out as an effective, novel and safe technique, which is especially appropriate for the treatment of Barrett’s Esophagus disease.