Non-endoscopic Screening and Surveillance in Patients with Barrett’s Esophagus
This trial studies the development of non-endoscopic screening and surveillance procedures to assess the relationship between the microbiome (bacteria and other organisms that live inside the body) and tissue inflammation in patients with Barrett’s esophagus who are at risk for developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. A key factor in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma is chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can lead to an altered microbiome, a “dysbiosis” that can sustain the chronic inflammatory environment and cause broad changes in the tumor microenvironment (normal cells, molecules, and blood vessels that surround and feed a tumor cell). Understanding this tumor microenvironment may help in developing a non-endoscopic testing strategy based on pathogenic factors to identify those patients at highest risk for developing esophageal adenocarcinoma.