Oesophagectomy for early adenocarcinoma and dysplasia arising in Barrett's oesophagus

Background: Oesophagectomy for high-grade dysplasia is controversial. Methods: A prospective study was carried out on all patients who presented between 1993 and 2001 with dysplasia or early adeno-carcinoma who were considered fit for surgery. Details of endoscopic biopsies, appearance, surveillance, operative pathology and outcome were recorded. Results: Of 18 patients, one had low-grade dysplasia, six had high-grade dysplasia and 11 had early adenocarcinoma. No patient had their biopsy diagnosis down-staged following final pathology, but two patients with high-grade dysplasia on biopsy were upstaged to adenocarcinoma. Our only death from disease occurred in a 39-year-old man who had undergone yearly surveillance for 86 months until adenocarcinoma was confirmed. There was no operative mortality. Conclusion: Oesophagectomy for early adenocarcinoma and dysplasia in Barrett's oesophagus can be done with acceptable rates of mortality and morbidity. Surveillance until adenocarcinoma is confirmed does not guarantee curable disease.