The overall aim of Dr. Romero's research effort is to decrease the mortality rate of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Along this line, two large, highly collaborative efforts of investigation are underway. Established in 1998, the Barrett's Esophagus Genomic Study group, is comprised of 154 physicians from varying practice environments who collaborate to identify families in which 2 or more members have classic long segment Barrett's esophagus with or without esophageal adenocarcinoma, in order to collect blood specimen for linkage analysis.
The Mayo Clinic Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and Barrett's Esophagus (EABE) Registry is an unprecedented resource combining phenotype (Endoscopy: erosive reflux esophagitis, hiatal hernia, Barrett's esophagus, esophageal adenocarcinoma; Pathology: as interpreted by 3 world-authority pathologists; Quality of life (using validated instruments), genotype (blood and tissue), and environmental risk factor (using validated questionnaires) information. This collaborative venture represents the efforts of 48 Mayo Clinic physicians.. The aims of the EABE Registry loosely include identification of candidate loci for GERD symptoms and its complications, and to contribute to the scientific literature regarding the genomic steps necessary for the transformation from Barrett's esophagus to adenocarcinoma. In addition, identification of genomic polymorphisms that are associated with distant metastasis or that confer survival benefit may also prove possible using the EABE registry resource.