Cellular mechanisms of Barrett's esophagus development.

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a metaplastic premalignant disorder in which the normal stratified squamous epithelium of the lower esophagus is replaced by a columnar lined epithelium with intestinal differentiation. BE generally occurs in the context of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease and it is the primary risk factor for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma, with a conversion rate of 0.5% to 1% per annum. The dramatic increase of esophageal adenocarcinoma incidence in the western world over the last two decades justifies the strong interest in BE and its development with the aim to improve preventative and therapeutic clinical strategies.