# Genetic Determinants of Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

> **NIH NIH U54** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $504,836

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has increased more than 5-fold in the past three decades
while the prognosis has remained poor. Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the only known precursor of EAC.
Endoscopy (EGD) is the only method to diagnose BE but because EGD is expensive and screening is not
recommended very few EACs are detected in patients with pre-diagnosed BE. To make an impact on the
prevention and early detection of EAC the challenge is to first develop an alternative method for screening that
is less costly and safer than EGD while being acceptable and accessible. A non-endoscopic detection method
would allow screening in the primary care setting. Aberrant methylation of vimentin and other markers can be
detected in DNA extracted from endoscopic brushings in over 90% of BE subjects. The BETRNet supplemental
project aims to directly translate these epigenetic markers of BE and EAC that we have discovered to clinically
novel methods for detection and risk stratification of BE. This project grows out of the discovery that methylated
genes, have the potential to be used as detection biomarkers for BE or EAC. This project:
 1) Uses a novel non-endoscopic distal esophageal sampling method to determine the accuracy of
 methylation markers as detection markers for BE;
 2) Determines whether a panel of aberrantly methylated genes associated with high grade dysplasia and
 EAC can be detected in esophageal brushings or nonendoscopic distal esophageal samples to enable
 risk stratification strategies;
The supplemental project is clearly aimed at having significant translational impact at decreasing mortality from
EAC through the development of a convenient non-invasive screening program.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10605426
- **Project number:** 3U54CA163060-10S1
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** AMITABH CHAK
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $504,836
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2011-09-26 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10605426

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10605426, Genetic Determinants of Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (3U54CA163060-10S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10605426. Licensed CC0.

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