Sponge on a String Could Replace Endoscopy

A sponge on a string that is easily swallowed could replace traditional endoscopy as an equally effective but less invasive way of diagnosing a condition that can be a forerunner of esophageal cancer.

Barrett's esophagus is usually diagnosed by having a biopsy during an endoscopy but this can be uncomfortable and carries some risks and it is not always practical for everyone who has symptoms like reflux and heartburn.


Scientists based at the Medical Research Council Cancer Unit (University of Cambridge, UK) invited more than 600 patients with Barrett's esophagus, a condition that can sometimes lead to esophageal cancer, to swallow the sponge and to undergo an endoscopy. Approximately 500 more people with symptoms like reflux and persistent heartburn did the same tests.

Over time people with these symptoms may develop changes in the cells that line the esophagus. These cells can become cancerous and so patients with Barrett's Esophagus are tested every couple of years.

The scientists found that the Cytosponge proved to be a very accurate way of diagnosing Barrett's esophagus. More than 94% of people swallowed the sponge and reported no serious side effects. Patients who were not sedated for endoscopy were more likely to rate the Cytosponge as a preferable experience. Esophageal cancer is the thirteenth most common cancer in the UK. Around 5,600 men develop the disease each year compared with 2,750 women. And each year around 5,200 men and 2,460 women die from the disease.

Rebecca Fitzgerald, MD, a professor and lead author of study said, “The Cytosponge test is safe, acceptable and has very good accuracy for diagnosing Barrett's esophagus. It should be considered as an alternative to endoscopy for diagnosing the condition and could possibly be used as a screening test in primary care. Julie Sharp, PhD, head of health information for Cancer Research UK, (London, UK) added, “These results are very encouraging and it will be good news if such a simple and cheap test can replace endoscopy for Barrett's esophagus. Death rates are unacceptably high in esophageal cancer so early diagnosis is vital.” The study was presented on November 4, 2014, at the National Cancer Research Institute's annual conference held in Liverpool (UK).

Related Links:
Medical Research Council Cancer Unit 
Cancer Research UK