Negative endoscopy reduces risk of upper GI cancer in GERD patients: Study

The study's main finding was that an upper endoscopy with negative findings in patients with GERD was associated with a lower incidence and mortality rate of any upper gastrointestinal cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma when analyzed separately. Incidence and mortality risk reductions lasted five and ten years, respectively. The lower risk of developing upper gastrointestinal cancer after a negative upper endoscopy was especially noticeable in the first year of follow-up, and then approached the incidence of participants who did not have endoscopy.

In conclusion, this population-based study from four Nordic countries shows that GERD patients who have a negative upper endoscopy have a lower incidence and mortality in upper gastrointestinal cancer after five and ten years, respectively. The more pronounced risk reduction beginning in 2008 suggests that higher-quality upper endoscopies in a modern setting have a powerful protective effect. Because of the relatively high incidence of upper gastrointestinal cancer in GERD patients, a one-time upper endoscopy may be beneficial.

Reference:

Holmberg D, Santoni G, Catarina von Euler-Chelpin M, Färkkilä M, Kauppila JH, Maret-Ouda J, Ness-Jensen E, Lagergren J, Incidence and mortality in upper gastrointestinal cancer after negative endoscopy for gastroesophageal reflux disease, Gastroenterology (2021), doi: https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2021.10.003.