Barrett's esophagus
noun
Bar·rett's esophagus
| \ ˈbar-its-, ˈber-
\
\
variants:
also Barrett's epithelium
Medical Definition of Barrett's esophagus
: metaplasia of the lower esophagus that is characterized by replacement of squamous epithelium with columnar epithelium, occurs especially as a result of chronic gastroesophageal reflux, and is associated with an increased risk for esophageal carcinoma
As many as 12% of the estimated 15 million GERD sufferers will develop Barrett's esophagus, and from 5% to 10% of those will go on to develop cancer.— Tara Parker-Pope, The Wall Street Journal, 18 Oct. 2005