What were we asked to look at? 

The Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) was asked to evaluate the clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness, safety and patient experience of capsule sponge endoscopy for the detection of pre-malignant (Barrett’s oesophagus) or early stage oeosphageal cancer.

Why is this important?

Capsule sponge endoscopy may reduce the need for investigatory endoscopies in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux or Barrett’s oesophagus who could go on to develop oesophageal cancer. 

Gastro-oesophageal reflux is a risk factor for developing both Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal cancer. Barrett’s oesophagus is prevalent in 1.5–2.5% of the adult population in the UK, with around 60,000 new cases per year (annual incidence around 0.1%). The rate of progression to cancer among patients with Barrett’s oesophagus in the UK is approximately 1% per year. In the west of Scotland, a rate of 16 cases of oesophageal adenocarcinoma related to Barrett’s oesophagus per 100,000 population has been reported.  

The early detection of oesophageal adenocarcinoma is associated with improved survival rates: 5-year survival in patients with early oesophageal cancer is approximately 95% compared with 5–40% in patients with advanced disease at diagnosis.  

Referred by 

The Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) collaborative