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Barrett's Oesophagus Gene Study (formerly known as the Sibling Pair Study)
Photodynamic Therapy for High and Low Grade Dysplasia trials
AspECT Trial
The Value of Health Panel
Endoscopic Trimodal Imaging (ETMI) study in Barrett's Oesophagus

Barrett's Oesophagus Gene Study (formerly known as the Sibling Pair Study)

If you have Barrett's Oesophagus (or know someone who has) then the Barrett's Oesophagus gene study is an exciting opportunity for you to contribute to some innovative research which may help other sufferers in the future.

The research is being undertaken at the Hutchison/MRC Research Centre in Cambridge in conjunction with the UK Barrett's Oesophagus Registry based at the Royal Free Hospital in London. The project is being led by Dr Rebecca Fitzgerald and is co-ordinated by Research Nurse Irene Debiram. The research is funded by the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR).

The research hopes to identify the importance of inherited (genetic) and lifestyle (environmental) factors in the development of heartburn and Barrett's Oesophagus.

If you would be willing to help, more details on helping with the Barrett's Oesophagus gene study are available.

Photodynamic Therapy for High and Low Grade Dysplasia trials

Treatment with Photodynamic Therapy is currently being conducted at the National Medical Laser Centre at University College London. The National Medical Laser Centre is also conducting clinical trials into treatment of dysplasia in Barrett's Oesophagus in collaboration with other research institutes who work with the Barrett's Oesophagus Foundation.

All patients who attend the National Medical Laser Centre are registered with the UK Barrett's Oesophagus Registry (UKBOR) and Dr Lovat, the Consultant in charge of the Barrett's laser therapy programme is on the Scientific Advisory Committee of UKBOR.

If you would be willing to help more details on helping with the Photodynamic Therapy for High and Low Grade Dysplasia trials are available.

AspECT Trial

Aspirin and Esomeprazole Chemoprevention in Barrett's Metaplasia

The AspECT trial is a randomised study for patients with Barrett's Oesophagus to look at whether high-dose aspirin and an acid-suppressant esomeprazole can prevent progression to cancer. The study is being co-ordinated by Professor Janusz Jankowski at Leicester University.

Patients will have to take the drugs which have been randomly assigned to them and then have 2 yearly follow-up endoscopies. Patients will also be asked to fill in a questionnaire and have a blood sample taken, as well as additional biopsies for research. Patients will be followed-up for 8 years. To be eligible for this study you have to be male and between 45 to 75 years, have a definite diagnosis of Barrett's Oesophagus and be able to give written consent. Patients are excluded if they have high grade dysplasia prior to starting the trial or other severe illnesses making endoscopy difficult. Patients are also excluded if they are already on regular aspirin or non-steroidal drugs, or if they are on other drugs or have allergies which make the trial drugs unsafe.

This study is sponsored by Cancer Research UK and UHL Trust Leicester and, while it is not a Barrett's Oesophagus Foundation study, we are supportive of this important trial.

Please contact:

AspECT Clinical Trial Coordinator
Oncology Clinical Trials Office (OCTO)
Department of Clinical Pharmacology
Old Road Campus Research Building
University of Oxford
Old Road Campus
Off Roosevelt Drive
Headington
Oxford OX3 7DQ

Tel: 01865 617011
Fax: 01865 617010
E-mail: aspect@octo-oxford.org.uk

The Value of Health Panel

The Value of Health Project is a research project being carried out by the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter and funded by the Department of Health.

They are investigating a new way of obtaining the views of members of the public on the severity of a wide range of different diseases. This could improve the current methods of finding out whether treatments represent good value for money to the NHS.

Brief descriptions of the symptoms of a condition are shown to a group of members of the public and their views obtained using a standard method.

They want to know whether the descriptions are a reasonable reflection of the kind of problems people with the condition face and are looking for volunteers to read their descriptions of Barrett's Oesophagus and complete a short questionnaire. The questionnaire would take a maximum of 10 minutes.

For more details on how to take part please contact Tania Crabb, at the University of Exeter:

Email: tania.crabb@pentag.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01392 207319

Endoscopic Trimodal Imaging (ETMI) study in Barrett's Oesophagus

Endoscopy is the key investigation to diagnose Barrett's Oesophagus. Biopsy samples confirm the presence of Barrett's Oesophagus and dysplasia or early cancer. Endoscopic surveillance of patients with Barrett's Oesophagus is recommended to detect dysplasia or malignancy at an early and curable stage. However, using current standard video-endoscopy, it is difficult to distinguish normal Barrett's mucosa from dysplasia and early cancer.

In the absence of visible abnormalities random biopsies are taken to evaluate the Barrett's segment. Obtaining random biopsies, however, is labor-intensive and due to sampling error early cancer lesions may still be missed.

Our group in Nottingham working along with Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam and Mayo Clinic, USA have performed preclinical studies and clinical feasibility studies that demonstrated the utility of the novel endoscopic imaging techniques: high-resolution zoom endoscopy, autofluorescence imaging and narrow band imaging for the improvement of the early detection of neoplasia in patients with Barrett's Oesophagus. This ‘state of the art’ video-endoscopy system can magnify the image up to 100 times, providing High Definition Images that also provides information on fluorescence emission as well as enhancement of the mucosal detail utilising the wave length of light. It is simple to use without any side-effects and is no different from the standard video-endoscopy system with respect to patient tolerability. We are currently recruiting patients with biopsy proven Barrett's Oesophagus with or without dysplasia under surveillance programme.

For further information, please contact Dr. K. Ragunath, Wolfson Digestive Diseases Centre, Queens Medical Centre campus, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK.
Telephone: 0115 823 1035
Fax: 0115 942 2232
www.nottingham.ac.uk/wddc
Email: K.Ragunath@nottingham.ac.uk