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Pavey said that if radiofrequency ablation is proven effective in larger trials now under way, physicians will be able to offer a technique that has fewer side effects and is better tolerated by patients.

There are currently two main treatments for Barrett's esophagus with high grade dysplasia. The surgical approach involves removing the affected portion of esophagus. It is a major operation that has up to a 6 percent mortality rate and also can leave patients with reflux and swallowing problems, Pavey said.

A second approach, in use for the past 10 years, is known as photodynamic therapy. It involves a photosensitizing agent that is preferentially taken up by abnormal cells. Physicians then shine a laser light into the esophagus, and the light kills the target cells. However, patients must avoid direct sunlight for several weeks, and up to 30 percent of patients experience scarring of the esophagus severe enough to affect swallowing.

"So far, radiofrequency ablation seems to be less invasive than surgery and better tolerated than photodynamic therapy," Pavey said. "This approach has the potential to dramatically alter the way we treat patients with Barrett's esophagus."

While the incidence of Barrett's esophagus is difficult to determine, studies at autopsy indicate that the condition occurs in one in every 60 to 80 people in the United States, mostly in Caucasians. It also occurs four times more frequently in men than women. About 10 percent of patients with long-term gastrointestinal reflux, or heartburn, will go on to develop Barrett's esophagus.

"In our study, we also found that radiofrequency ablation appears to be effective for those patients who have had an incomplete response following treatment with photodynamic therapy," Pavey said.

Eighteen centers, including Duke, are currently enrolling patients in a clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of radiofr
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