ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — This year, more than 22,000 Americans face a chilling diagnosis — esophageal cancer. Men are three to four times more likely to develop it. The odds? Less than a 20% chance of surviving five years. But what if an early diagnosis could change that? A new three-minute in-office test is offering a critical window for early detection.
Patricio Ferreira has been crafting jewelry since he was a teen.
“I love it,” he told Ivanhoe.
“I only wear, you know, Patricio jewelry since married to the jeweler, of course you’re gonna take advantage of that,” his wife, Neena Morganti-Ferreira, said.
But recently, Patricio faced a health scare.
“Every morning, you know, he would wake up with this and complaining about this phlegm,” Neena recalled.
“The thing about esophageal cancer is that it oftentimes does not have symptoms until very late in the game,” explained Paul S. Panzarella, MD, gastroenterologist at the Center for Advanced GI in Maitland, Fla.
Traditional diagnosis involves an endoscopy, where patients are put to sleep. Now Esoguard offers a simpler alternative. This vitamin-sized capsule, swallowed by the patient, collects cell samples in less than five minutes.
“Once it reaches the bottom of the esophagus, I will then inflate the capsule,” Dr. Panzarella told Ivanhoe.
A textured balloon swabs the surface of the esophagus, collecting cells.
“It really was easy, and I’m happy because he discovered something there, something different,” said Patricio.
The test revealed he had Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition that significantly increases the risk of esophageal cancer.
“The hopes are that we can identify who has the precancerous condition before even getting to esophageal cancer,” said Dr. Panzarella.
Patricio will now be monitored for cancer yearly, giving him peace of mind as he begins a new phase of life… retirement! Now only making jewelry for one special client.
“I have quite a few pieces that I still want him to make for me,” Neena told Ivanhoe.
So, who should be asking their doctor about the Esoguard test? Dr. Panzarella says he gives his patients a questionnaire, looking for individuals aged 50 and up, of Caucasian ethnicity, male, with obesity, a history of tobacco use, or frequent acid reflux. If a patient answers “yes” to three or more of these risk factors, they are eligible for the Esoguard procedure.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Matt Goldschmidt, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7141161/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/barretts-esophagus/symptoms-causes/syc-20352841
* For More Information, Contact: Ignacio Guerro-Ros
Vice President at Russo Partners LLC
Ignacio.guerrero-ros@russopartnersllc.com
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