The
Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN) has produced a guide that
provides information about Reflux Disease and its
connection to Barrett’s Esophagus and Esophageal Cancer. The guide will
enable patients who suffer from heartburn to begin a conversation with
their physicians and be better-informed advocates for their own health.
“People
don’t realize how dangerous heartburn can be and making the symptoms go
away won’t prevent you from developing cancer. We want people to
understand the risks and get screened, so it can be caught early enough
to save their lives,” said Mindy Mintz Mordecai, ECAN’s President and
CEO. She founded ECAN after the loss of her husband to Esophageal
Cancer in 2008.
Presently,
only one in five patients diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer will survive
five years, largely because the disease is usually detected at late
stages. But, if Esophageal Cancer is caught in its early stages, or even
before it becomes cancerous, patients have a good chance for survival.
ECAN
Chairman Dr. Bruce Greenwald, professor of Medicine and a
Gastroentrologist at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center
said, “This Guide breaks new ground by presenting information that
doctors from around the country and from different related specialties
all agree upon. Because there are currently no clear guidelines about
who should be screened for Esophageal Cancer or Barrett’s Esophagus,
this is valuable information patients can use to be advocates for their
own healthcare.”
Supported
with a $15,000. grant from health insurer CareFirst BlueCross
BlueShield, the Patient Guide was created using an innovative online
collaboration tool that involved more than 100 doctors from around the
nation. The guide presents the information in simple language, without
confusing medical terminology.
The guide suggests you should talk to your doctor about your concerns if:
1. You have more than occasional heartburn symptoms
2. You have experienced heartburn in the past, but the symptoms have gone away
3. You have any pain or difficulty swallowing
4. You have a family history of Barrett’s Esophagus or Esophageal Cancer
5. You have an ongoing, unexplained cough
6. You have been speaking with a hoarse voice over several weeks
7. You have a long lasting, unexplained sore throat
8. You cough or choke when you lie down
The Guide is available for download at ECAN’S website:
No comments:
Post a Comment