Hendrick offers groundbreaking treatment to prevent esophageal cancer

An outpatient treatment that destroys pre-cancerous tissue in the lining of the esophagus is now available at Hendrick Medical Center.

The procedure, endoscopic radiofrequency ablation therapy using the HALO System, was recently featured in the New England Journal of Medicine as a highly effective treatment for complete eradication of Barrett’s esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition that affects one to two million adults in the United States each year.

Barrett’s disease occurs when the esophagus is chronically exposed to gastric contents of the stomach caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly known as GERD.  With prolonged acid exposure, normal cells in the esophagus can undergo a genetic change and are then vulnerable to further changes that can lead to cancer.

Individuals with Barrett’s esophagus have a 40 to 130 times higher incidence of developing esophageal cancer than those without the condition. Esophageal is presently the fastest growing form of cancer in the United States.

The main purpose of the ablation procedure is to ablate, or remove the abnormal lining of the esophageal. The tissue then regenerates and normal tissue grows back. This eliminates or markedly reduces the chances of cancer developing.

During the procedure, an ablation catheter (HALO³⁶⁰ or HALO⁹⁰ Ablation Catheter) is positioned on the abnormal esophageal tissue. Using the HALO Energy Generator, the physician delivers a rapid burst of ablative energy which removes a very thin layer of the disease esophagus. The procedure is performed in an outpatient setting, without incisions, and takes less than 30 minutes on average.

For a person with Barrett’s disease, the risk of developing esophageal cancer is similar to the risk of developing colon cancer for patients who have a colon polyp. However, unlike a colon polyp which is removed immediately upon diagnosis through a colonoscopy, prior to the availability of the HALO System, the standard treatment for Barrett’s disease was “watchful waiting” or surveillance to monitor the progression of the disease.

The HALO System provides uniform and controlled ablative therapy, which not only removes the abnormal cells but also allows for regrowth of normal cells. Patients can be treated more effectively without injuring healthy underlying tissue.

Esophageal cancer is often uncurable because the disease is frequently discovered in the advanced stages.