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Taking Cancer by the Throat
An innovative tool made sure this woman's chronic heartburn didn't develop into something
worse — cancer.
Janet Kortenhaus has suffered
from gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD) since her 20s. In
fact, she had GERD — an uncomfortable
condition characterized by
chronic, severe heartburn — even
before they had a name for it. Before
her diagnosis, she would take about
20 antacids a day, but her relief was
often short-lived.
Then, about 10 years ago, the
49-year-old went to see a gastroenterologist
who diagnosed the
GERD and prescribed medication.
What really concerned Janet,
however, was that because her
disease had gone so long without
proper treatment, she had developed
Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous
condition affecting the lining of the
esophagus.
To treat this condition, Janet
started seeing Howard N. Guss,
D.O., a gastroenterologist who specializes
in diseases of the digestive
system and is affiliated with Jersey
Shore University Medical Center.
Janet underwent an endoscopy,
in which a camera mounted on a
flexible tube was used to view her
esophagus. The results showed that the
damage to the lining of her esophagus
was extensive.
"Esophageal cancer is a greatly underdiagnosed
problem. Contrary to most cancers, which are declining in frequency,
incidence of esophageal cancer is increasing,"
explains Dr. Guss. "Most people who
get it have never even seen a gastroenterologist
before they are diagnosed — and
then the cancer presents a major problem.
That's why I recommend screenings for
people with a family history of esophageal
cancer, and also for people with chronic
indigestion and heartburn."
To prevent the possibility of cancer
for Janet, Dr. Guss recommended
a new treatment that uses the Barrx
Halo-360. Halo-360 technology
allows for a minimally invasive ablation
procedure that destroys diseased
tissue before it can become cancerous.
Treatment with the Halo-360
is a two-part process. First an upper
endoscopy is performed to look at
the damage in the esophagus and a
small balloon is inserted to measure
the diameter of the esophagus. Then
a catheter with a balloon surrounded
by a band of radio frequency electrodes
is inserted. The electrodes
deliver short bursts of energy around
the entire circumference of the
esophagus. The energy destroys any
diseased tissue while limiting harm
to healthy tissue.
"I was not in favor of surgery,"
says Janet. "But once I saw that
studies of the Halo-360 showed
good results, I decided to go ahead
and have the procedure."
To date, Janet has undergone two
separate procedures and may require
a third. However, her esophagus is
now 90 percent clear of diseased tissue,
and her chances of developing cancer
are greatly reduced. "Although I will be on
GERD medication for the rest of my life so
that I don't damage my esophagus again,
I feel like I'm getting a fresh start," she
says.
 – Ryan Younger
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