Editorial on role of p53 in esophageal cancer from a meta-analysis of 16 studies by Fisher et al.

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is the predominant form of distal esophageal cancer in the western world. The incidence has increased markedly over the past two decades due to known risk factors, i.e., obesity and gastroesophageal reflux. EAC typically arises from Barrett's esophagus (BE), a metaplastic transformation of the native esophageal squamous epithelium into columnar epithelium in response to gastroesophageal reflux with a risk of malignant progression among patients with BE of 0.22% to 0.5% per year.