GoingToMeet

Barrett's metaplasia is a condition in which the normal oesophageal stratified squamous epithelium is replaced by intestinal-type columnar epithelium. It is associated with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and predisposes to oesophageal adenocarcinoma, which has increased rapidly in the last three decades and carries a poor prognosis. The risk of developing oesophageal adenocarcinoma is 30 to 125 times higher in people who have Barrett's oesophagus than in people who do not. The exact causes of Barrett's oesophagus are not known, but it is thought to be caused in part by the same factors that cause GORD. Many important questions concerning Barrett's oesophagus remain unanswered and we need research to determine the molecular and cellular basis of the switch in phenotype. This meeting will specifically address this issue and will bring together scientists and clinicians covering stem cell biology and cancer, transgenic models and cellular and molecular targets.