Treatment is aimed at controlling symptoms of GERD with either medications such as anti-acid medicine (proton pump inhibitors) and/or surgery. Such treatments remove the cause for the change in oesophagus lining, but are not able to reverse the presence of Barrett’s oesophagus or completely remove the risk of cancer developing.
For patients with Barrett’s oesophagus and dysplasia (pre-cancerous change), certain therapies such as radiofrequency ablation (which uses heat), or photodynamic therapy (using light with certain chemicals) may be used to eliminate the dysplastic tissue (i.e. change of cell lining in the oesophagus) and reduce cancer risk.
If you have been diagnosed with Barrett’s oesophagus, the decision for endoscopic surveillance and treatment will be made after discussion on the potential risks and effectiveness of the treatments, in accordance with the recommended guidelines.
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