High-value research of 2014 presented for gastroenterology

(HealthDay)—Articles relating to esophageal diseases, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, and other topics are included in a special gastroenterology and hepatology update summary published online April 30 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

John I. Allen, M.D., M.B.A., from the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and David S. Weinberg, M.D., from the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, summarized studies published in 2014 that are highly relevant to the practice of gastroenterology and hepatology.

The authors included a study on the prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis, which was found to be 57 per 100,000 people. A large trial indicated reduced risk for neoplastic progression after radiofrequency ablation of low-grade dysplasia for Barrett's esophagus. Several studies relating to cancer were included: patients with chronic pancreatitis were found to have increased risk for cancers, especially pancreatic cancer; the importance of colonoscopy technique was emphasized; an inverse correlation between adenomas detected during screening colonoscopy with risk for interval colon cancer was described; a new stool DNA test for colon cancer detection was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; and increased risk for gastrointestinal and other cancers was identified for patients with Crohn's disease. Several studies were included that relate to hepatitis C treatment.

"This update summarizes key publications in gastroenterology and hepatology published in 2014 that the authors believe are of particular relevance to general internists," the authors write.