3. Low-Grade Dysplasia
Patients visiting a doctor for a diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus will typically provide a tissue sample for examination by a qualified specialist. In some cases, individuals experience dysplasia, a precancerous condition where the tissue in the esophagus begins to undergo changes that could form the start of cancerous tumors.
Dysplasia has three different categories;
• Low-grade dysplasia.
• High-grade dysplasia.
• Indefinite dysplasia.
In low-grade dysplasia, the tissue sample reveals that there are changes to the cells in the esophagus, but they are occurring slowly, and don’t involve most of the cells in the affected region. Physicians expect this form of dysplasia not to turn cancerous. If your doctor diagnoses low-grade dysplasia, they will often send the sample for a second opinion.
Doctors recommend that patients suffering from low-grade dysplasia undergo a follow-up endoscopy every six to 12-months after the initial diagnosis. If stomach acid inflames the esophagus before endoscopy, your doctor may treat you for GERD to reduce the swelling, before taking a tissue sample.