Barrett esophagus

What it means

An abnormal change (metaplasia) in the cells of the inferior portion of the esophagus. The normal squamous epithelium lining of the esophagus is replaced by metaplastic columnar epithelium. Columnar epithelium refers to a cell type that is typically found in more distal parts of the gastrointestinal system.

The medical significance of Barrett esophagus is its strong association with esophageal adenocarcinoma, a particularly lethal cancer.

Rare diseases that can present with this5

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Barret syndrome · Barrett oesophagus · Barrett's esophagus · Barrett's oesophagus · Endobrachyesophagus