<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Below is a summary between Barrett's Esophagus and Celiac Sprue. I have received only 11 replies so far. Three persons wanted to know what Barrett's Esophagus is. Three persons have a close relative who have been diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus but do not have Celiac Sprue. One person who has CD (celiac disease) was just diagnosed with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and had very little symptoms of GERD. Two persons with CD were just diagnosed with BE (barrett's Esophagus) after history of GERD. Two persons with CD developed Esophagus cancer one year after having been diagnosed with BE. Both persons had very little GERD symptoms and their cancer was picked up on yearly endoscope exams. One person with CD that developed esophagus cancer was told by their doctor that this form of cancer was associated with Celiacs disease. What is Barrett"s Esophagus? Barrett's Esophagus is a condition in which acid from the stomach will damage the lining of the lower part of the esophagus. Cells that line the stomach then move into the damage area of the esophagus. These cell are not normal cells, they are premalignant. In the states, a annual gastroscopy is done for barrett's to help in detection of early stages of esophagus cancer if or when these cells turn to cancer. Barrett's is acquired in only 5% of people that have bad or long history of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). People with GERD may or may not have symptoms. People with little or no symptoms of GERD seem to be at greater risk at developing Barrett's. What type of esophagus cancer comes from Barrett's Esophagus? There are two types of esophagus cancer, Squamons cancers and adenocarcinomas. Adenocarcinomas are the form of cancer that you get with Barrett's Esophagus,stomach,small bowel and colon. I have worked in the medical field for 20 years and I am currently running a nuclear cardiac imaging lab. I work with alot of patients with all types of diseases. Iam not a Doctor, but with my medical knowledge, experience and research in this area, this is what I have found. There is no direct link to say that Celiac Sprue will cause GERD, Barrett's Esophagus or Esophagus Cancer. The effects of CD on GERD, BE, and esophagus cancer is by a secondary effect of a suppress immune system. When you suppress you immune system, the body cannot repair it self. Little problems can become big problems. Such as reflux to GERD to Barrett's Esophagus to Esophagus Cancer. Very very few ever get to the cancer stage in the general population, but for people with an autoimmune diseases such as Celiac Sprue, the risk is higher. I email the Fred Hutchingson Cancer Research Center in Seattle Washington and asked their Barrett's Esophagus Program if people with Celiac Sprue and Barrett's are at higher risk at developing esophagus cancer vs a person with Barrett's that do not have Celiac Sprue. Below is their response. The following sentence was taken from the Textbook of Gastroenterology Volume Two: Yamada, Alpers, Owyang, Powell & Silverstein. Chapter 72 page 1654: "Evidence strongly suggests that adherence to a gluten-free diet reduces the subsequent incidence of malignancy associated with celiac disease... it seems prudent to advise celiac disease patients to adhere to a strict gluten-free diet." In the references that we could find, the esophageal cancers associated with celiac disease were predominately squamous cancers rather than adenocarcinomas (which are associated with Barrett's). However, in general we agree with the above statement that the adherence to a gluten free diet appears prudent. Seattle Barrett's Esophagus Program http://www.fhcrc.org/~barretts As you can see, not alot of research have be done in this area. Sometimes when you look for a needle in a haystack, the haystack gets bigger! With all the research that I have done, there is strong evidence to support the facts that any ingestion of gulten, among Celiac's, will suppress your immune system which will leave you open to all kinds of infections and cancers. Even that the risk is still small, it is still higher then the general public. My reseach agrees alot with what Ron Hoggan has found. The question is not how much gluten is safe gluten? The real question is how much damage, by the ingestion of gluten, will it take to cause a symptom. The lucky people get early symptoms before to much damage is done. The hard part is always trying to find out what causes the symptoms. It is easy to treat the symptoms. I was diagnosed with both Celiac Sprue and Barrett's Esophagus one year ago. I do not believe that there is good gluten or safe gluten. I will continue to do reseach in Celiac Sprue vs Barrett's Esophages and other related diseases. Ron Hoggan, If you are reading this, if you come across any related information between Barrett's, esophagus cancer and Celiac Sprue, I would appreciate you sending it my way. John Spokane, WA