Endoscopy 2005; 37(9): 879-920
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-870305
Review
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Paris Workshop on Columnar Metaplasia in the Esophagus and the Esophagogastric Junction
Paris, France, December 11 - 12 2004

  • 1International Agency For Research on Cancer
René Lambert and Prateek Sharma were guest editors for the proceedings of this workshop
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Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
22. August 2005 (online)

Preview

I Exploring Esophageal Columnar Metaplasia: a Very Laudable Initiative

Foreword by
Professor Emeritus G. N. J. Tytgat
President of the World Gastroenterology Organisation (Organisation Mondiale de Gastro-Entérologie, OMGE)

Few entities in gastroenterology are obscured by as much confusion and uncertainty regarding definition, diagnosis, grading etc than esophageal columnar metaplasia, or Barrett’s esophagus for short. Yet this nosologic entity is of particular importance as a premalignant lesion, especially now that the incidence of adenocarcinoma continues to rise. It was therefore more than timely and encouraging that René Lambert and Prateek Sharma took the initiative of bringing experts together in Paris from all corners of the world. The brief of this working party was to analyse and discuss points of agreement, of discrepancy and of uncertainty, in an attempt to come to a consensus view on this intriguing disease. The disease is indeed fascinating and challenging, not only because of its oncological significance, but also because columnar metaplasia turns out to be a unique model for studying molecular oncogenesis and also all the novel imaging modalities and facilities for tissue characterization.

Obviously to understand one another, to compare data from basic science and clinical medicine, it is essential that we all speak the same language and use the same definitions and staging modalities. As columnar metaplasia joins the cardia, it is readily conceivable that the endoscopic evaluation is prone to confusion and error. Moreover, much background noise can be created if biopsies are not meticulously targeted to either the genuine cardia or the genuine columnar segment to avoid blurring of the findings. The recognition and analysis in depth of trustworthy and reproducible landmarks (the proximal extent of gastric folds, the distal extent of palisaded vessels) for accurate and precise locating of the esophagogastric junction is obviously of vital importance in this overall diagnostic process, as shown in the detailed report that follows.

The executive office of the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) is very well aware of the key importance of this in-depth analysis. The WGO/OMGE is convinced that the outcome of this working party will ultimately help and teach the practising gastroenterologist. The WGO/OMGE is convinced that Professor Lambert’s creation of such a task force is the appropriate way forward and that the clinical impact will be equal to that seen after his task force on the diagnosis of colonic adenoma and early colonic cancer. It is hoped that the detailed information in this report will benefit our patients suffering from this potentially dangerous entity, and further support research to answer the many unsolved questions: whom and how to survey, how to apply chemoprevention, how to detect the person genuinely at risk, and how to manage low grade and high grade dysplasia or neoplasia and early cancer.

References

7 Participants: Hugh Barr M. D., Cranfield Postgraduate Medical School, Gloucester GL1 3NN, UK; Jacques J Bergman M. D., Academic Medical Centre, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Marcia I Canto M. D., Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland 21 205, USA; Takao Endo M. D., Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo 060 - 8543, Japan; Rikiya Fujita M. D., Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo 170 - 8455, Japan; Pierre Hainaut Ph. D., International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon 69 372, France; Robert H Hawes M. D., Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29 425 2220, US; Yoshio Hoshihara M. D., Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105 - 8470 Japan; Haruhiro Inoue MD, Showa Northern Yokohama Hospital, Yokohama 224 - 8504 Japan; Edgar Jaramillo M. D., Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Michael Jung M. D., St Hildergardis Krankenhaus, 55 131 Mainz, Germany; Teruo Kouzu M. D., Chiba University School of Medicine, Chiba 260 - 8677, Japan; René Lambert MD, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon 69 372, France; Charles J Lightdale M. D., Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York 10 032, USA; Hiroyasu Makuuchi M. D., School of Medicine, Tokai University, Kanagawa 259 - 1193 Japan; Hirohumi Niwa M. D., St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki 216 - 8511, Japan; Jean François Rey M. D., Institut Arnault Tzanck, St Laurent du Var 06 700, France; Robert Riddell M. D., Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada; Richard E Sampliner M. D., University of Arizona Health Science Center, Tucson, Arizona 85 724 0001, USA; Prateek Sharma M. D., VA Medical Center Kansas City, Missouri 64 128, USA; Stuart J Spechler M. D. , VA Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75 216, USA; Kaiyo Takubo M. D., Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo,173 - 0015, Japan; Hisao Tajiri M. D., The Jukei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 1 058 461, Japan; Hidenobu Watanabe M. D., Niigata University School of Medicine, Niigata 951 - 8510, Japan

R. Lambert M. D. FRCP

Screening Group · International Agency For Research on Cancer

150 Cours Albert Thomas · Lyon 69372 · CEDEX 08 · France

eMail: lambert@iacr.fr