A device the size of a vitamin pill could revolutionize the fight against a deadly cancer of the esophagus by diagnosing patients before they develop the disease.
Patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer have only a 50 percent chance of survival even if the cancer is detected in the first stage, dropping to just six percent if it is detected in later stages.
But the cancer — which has nearly doubled in middle-aged adults in the past five years — is linked to a type of acid reflux that begins years in advance.
Now doctors at Lucid Diagnostics in New York City have developed a device that can detect precancerous cells in patients with acid reflux – which could then be removed before the disease develops.
The graphic above shows how the breakthrough test that could detect cancer early works
In this technique, a pill-like device attached to a long, thin tube is inserted into the throat and gently moved toward the stomach.
A small, grooved balloon is then inflated and pulled up a few centimeters over the neck to collect cells before the device is removed.
The entire procedure takes about two minutes, doctors say, and can be performed on patients who have not been sedated.
The cells are then sent to a lab to be examined for precancerous cells, which could reveal a patient's risk of disease.
Those found to have early precancerous lesions should be screened for the cancer every three years, doctors said.
But those who have late precancerous cells — or those with more advanced mutations — are sent for treatment to eliminate the cells.
This usually happens during an endoscopy, in which high-energy radio waves are fired at the precancerous lesions to destroy them.
Doctors say the test can be used in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and can also be used to diagnose esophageal cancer.
This disease affects approximately 3.3 million Americans each year, although most do not go on to develop cancer.
About 22,000 Americans are now diagnosed with the disease each year, while 16,000 die from the disease, doctors say.
Overall, only 20 percent of patients survive more than five years after diagnosis – while those in whom the cancer is diagnosed at a late, i.e. advanced, stage only survive five years.
Doctors say the cancer is so deadly because it progresses quickly and is often not detected until later stages because it does not cause early symptoms.
There is no recommended screening test for the disease, but GERD patients with damage to their esophagus are recommended to be screened every three years.
Cancer patients are usually men over 50 years of age who may also be heavy smokers or drinkers.
The primary way to screen for cancer is an endoscopy, in which a doctor inserts a long tube with a camera on the end into a person's mouth and stomach to look for abnormalities (file photo).
Dr. Lishan Aklog said his device could help identify and treat at-risk patients before the cancer develops.
Studies of 400 firefighters in San Francisco showed the device had 90 percent accuracy in diagnosing precancerous cells.
Firefighters are at higher risk of illness because of the chemicals they are exposed to through firefighting foam and because they are more likely to be heavy drinkers.
Once precancerous cells are diagnosed, patients may also be advised to lose weight or stop heavy cigarette or alcohol consumption to reduce the risk of cancer cells developing.
Dr. Aklog told FOX News, “When there is fluid in the stomach, the acid goes into the lower esophagus where it doesn't belong.”
“This causes cellular changes that can eventually develop into full-blown cancer.”
The test – called EsoGuard – is now available in some states and has been designated a breakthrough device by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This means that approval has been accelerated and two large studies on this test are currently underway.
The procedure only takes five minutes and the laboratory results are available within a few weeks.
There is no information about the costs, but doctors say that the costs for most patients are already covered by their health insurance.
Even if esophageal cancer is diagnosed, treatment options are limited – especially for advanced cancer.
Patients may be offered surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but these often do not cure the cancer.
The test is already available in some states and has been administered tens of thousands of times, according to the company behind the test.