Guideline on screening for esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (2020)

Presentation for free use to disseminate Guidelines.

1. Putting  Prevention  into  Practice Guideline  on  screening  for  esophageal   adenocarcinoma  in  patients  with   chronic  gastroesophageal  reflux   disease
2. Use  of  Slide  Deck • These  slides  are  made  available  publicly  following  the   guideline’s  release  as  an  educational  support  to  assist   with  the  dissemination,  uptake  and  implementation  of   the  guidelines  into  primary  care  practice   • Some  or  all  of  the  slides  in  this  slide  deck  may  be  used   in  educational  contexts       2
3. Esophageal  adenocarcinoma  (EAC)  screening Working  Group   Task  Force  members •Stéphane  Groulx  (Chair) •Scott  Klarenbach •Harminder  Singh* •Brett  Thombs •Brenda  Wilson Task  Force  spokespersons •Stephane  Groulx •Brett  Thombs •Scott  Klarenbach *non-­voting  TF  member Non-­voting  members Public  Health  Agency  of  Canada •Heather  Limburg •Marion  Doull Evidence  Review  and  Synthesis  Centre • Ottawa  Health  Research  Institute   (OHRI)  (Candyce  Hamel,  Andrew   Beck,  Nadera  Ahmadzai,  Micere   Thuku,  Kusala  Pussegoda,   Adrienne  Stevens,  Becky  Skidmore,   Avijit  Chatterjee,  Donna  E.  Maziak,   Kristopher  Dennis,  Lise  Bjerre,   Lorenzo  Ferri,  Beverley  Shea,  Brian   Hutton,  Julian  Little  and  David   Moher)   3
4. Overview  of  Webinar • Presentation • Background   • Methods   • Recommendation • Results • Rationale  for  recommendation • Knowledge  gaps  and  next  steps • Other  national  EAC  screening  recommendations • Conclusions   • Questions  and  Answers 4
5. BACKGROUND Screening  for  esophageal  adenocarcinoma   in  patients  with  chronic  gastroesophageal   reflux  disease 5
6. Esophageal  cancer  in  Canada • Estimated  age-­standardized  incidence  rate  of  6  cases  per   100,000  Canadians  (2019) • The  5-­year  net  survival  rate,  estimated  at  15%,  is  among  the   poorest  of  all  cancer  prognoses   • Males  have  a  higher  incidence  than  females  with  an  estimated   9  cases  versus  2  cases  per  100,000,  respectively  (2019) • The  most  common  types  of  esophageal  cancer  in  Canada  are   adenocarcinoma  followed  by  squamous  cell  carcinoma   – Incidence  has  shifted  over  the  past  40  years  with  rates  of   adenocarcinoma  increasing  and  squamous  cell  carcinoma  falling   – Incidence  shift  is  possibly  due  to  increases  in  adenocarcinoma-­related   risk  factors  (e.g.  gastroesophageal  reflux,  obesity)  and  decreases  in   risk  factors  linked  to  squamous  cell  carcinoma  (e.g.  smoking)   6
7. Age  standardized  incidence  rates  for  EAC  and  ESCC  (all   ages)  in  Canada  (excluding  Quebec),  1986  to  2015 7 EAC  =  Esophageal  adenocarcinoma,  ESCC=Esophageal  squamous  cell  carcinoma 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 Age  standardized  Incidnce  rates  (ASIR)  per  100,000 Year EAC,  male ESCC,  male EAC,  female ESCC,  female Data  source: Canadian  Cancer  Registry  and  National  
8. Esophageal  adenocarcinoma  (EAC)  risk  factors 8 Pre-­‐cancerous  conditions  (i.e.  Barrett  esophagus,  dysplasia) Older  age  (≥50  years) Male  sex Gastroesophageal  Reflux  Disease Abdominal  obesity Smoking Family  history White  race  or  ethnicity
9. Guideline  scope 9 •Adults  with  chronic  GERD Target  population •People  with  chronic  GERD  exhibiting   alarm  symptoms  for  EAC  (e.g.   dysphagia,  odynophagia,   recurrent   vomiting,   unexplained  weight  loss,   anemia,  loss  of  appetite  or   gastrointestinal  bleeding)  or  who   were  previously  diagnosed  with  BE (with  or  without  dysplasia),  as   clinicians  should  evaluate  and   manage  those  people  accordingly The  guideline   does  not apply  to
10. METHODS Guideline  on  screening  for  esophageal   adenocarcinoma  in  patients  with  chronic   GERD 10
11. Canadian  Task  Force  on  Preventive   Health  Care • Independent  body  of  up  to  15  clinicians   and  methodologists   • Mandate: – develop  evidence-­based  clinical  practice   guidelines  that  support  primary  care   providers  in  the  delivery  of  preventive   healthcare – Ensure  dissemination,  uptake  and   implementation  of  guidelines 11
12. Evidence  Review  and  Synthesis  Centres   (ERSC) • Undertake  an  independent  systematic  review   (SR)  of  the  literature  based  on  the  working  group   analytical  framework • Present  the  evidence  with  GRADE  tables  to   inform  CTFPHC  guidelines • Participate  in  working  group  and  CTFPHC   meetings  (non-­voting)   GRADE: Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation 12
13. Task  Force  Review  Process • Internal  review  process  involving: ─ Guideline  working  group  and  other  CTFPHC  members • External  review  undertaken  at  key  stages: – Protocol,  systematic  review(s)  and  guideline • External  stakeholder  reviewer  groups: – Generalist  and  disease  specific  stakeholders – Federal  and  Provincial/Territorial  stakeholders   – Academic  peer  reviewers • CMAJ  undertakes  an  independent  peer  review  process  to   review  guidelines  before  accepting  for  publication 13
14. EAC  guideline  is  based  on  three  reviews: 1:  Screening  for  esophageal  adenocarcinoma  and  precancerous  conditions  (dysplasia   and  Barrett’s  esophagus)  in  patients  with  chronic  gastroesophageal  reflux  disease  with   or  without  other  risk  factors:  Systematic  review.  Hamel  C,  Beck  A,  Thuku  M,  Stevens  A,   Skidmore  B,  Shea  B,  et  al.  (Prepared  by  the  Knowledge  Synthesis  Group,  Ottawa  Methods  Centre,  Ottawa   Hospital  Research  Institute  for  the  Canadian  Task  Force  on  Preventive  Health  Care  under  contract  by  the   Public  Health  Agency  of  Canada).  CTFPHC;;  2018. 2.  Patient  values  and  preferences  in  relation  to  screening  for  esophageal   adenocarcinoma  and  precancerous  conditions  (dysplasia  and  Barrett’s  esophagus)  in   patients  with  chronic  gastroesophageal  reflux  disease  with  or  without  other  risk  factors:   Systematic  review.  Hamel  C,  Beck  A,  Stevens  A,  Skidmore  B,  Shea  B,  Hutton,  B,  et  al.  (Prepared  by  the   Knowledge  Synthesis  Group,  Ottawa  Methods  Centre,  Ottawa  Hospital  Research  Institute  for  the  Canadian   Task  Force  on  Preventive  Health  Care  under  contract  by  the  Public  Health  Agency  of  Canada).  CTFPHC;;   2018. 3.  Benefits  and  harms  of  treatment  options  for  esophageal  adenocarcinoma  and   precancerous  conditions:  An  overview  of  systematic  reviews.  Ahmadzai  N,  Hamel  C,  Thuku   M,  Pussegoda  K,  Beck  A,  Skidmore  B,  et  al.(Prepared  by  the  Knowledge  Synthesis  Group,  Ottawa  Methods   Centre,  Ottawa  Hospital  Research  Institute  for  the  Canadian  Task  Force  on  Preventive  Health  Care  under   contract  by  the  Public  Health  Agency  of  Canada).  CTFPHC;;  2018. 14
15. EAC  guideline  is  based  on  three  reviews  (2): All  reviews  are  published  together  as:   Screening  for  esophageal  adenocarcinoma  and  precancerous  conditions  (dysplasia   and  Barrett’s  esophagus)  in  patients  with  chronic  gastroesophageal  reflux  disease   with  or  without  other  risk  factors:  two  systematic  reviews  and  one  overview  of   reviews  to  inform  a  guideline  of  the  Canadian  Task  Force  on  Preventive  Health  Care   (CTFPHC).  Hamel  C,  Ahmadzai  N,  Beck  A,  Thuku  M,  Skidmore  B,  Pussegoda  K,  et   al.,  2020  Syst.  Rev.  9(20);;  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-­020-­1275-­2. All  reviews  are  also  available  on  the  Task  Force  website:   www.canadiantaskforce.ca 15
16. Analytical  Framework 16
17. The  “GRADE”  System:  Grading of  Recommendations,   Assessment,  Development  &  Evaluation 17
18. GRADE  Process  (1)  -­ Defining  the  question  and   collecting  evidence • Define  questions  in  terms  of  populations,  alternative   management  strategies  and  patient-­important  outcomes • Characterise  outcomes  as  critical  or  important  to   developing  recommendations   • Systematic  search  for  relevant  studies   • Based  on  pre-­defined  criteria  for  eligible  studies  to   generate  the  best  estimate  of  the  effect  of  the   intervention  on  each  critical  and  important  outcome • Assess  certainty  of  evidence  associated  with  that  effect   estimate 18
19. GRADE  Process  (2)  – Rating  certainty  of  evidence In  GRADE  Approach: • RCTs  start  as  high-­certainty  evidence  and  observational  studies   as  low-­certainty  evidence • RCT  data  prioritized  over  observational • Rating  of  certainty  is  modified  downward  for  each  outcome   across  studies  in  relation  to: – Study  limitations  (Risk  of  Bias) – Imprecision – Inconsistency  of  results – Indirectness  of  evidence – Publication  bias  likely  (part  of  the  upgrading  criteria  below) • Rating  of  certainty  is  modified  upward  for  each  outcome  across   studies  in  relation  to: – Publication  bias  (undetected) – Large  magnitude  of  effect – Dose  response – No  evidence  for  plausible  confounders  likely  minimizing  the  effect 19
20. GRADE  Process  (3)  -­‐ Rating  certainty  of  evidence  and   grading  recommendations 20 1.  Certainty  of  Evidence 2.  Strength of  Recommendation • Certainty that  the   available  evidence   correctly  reflects  the   true  effect • Certainty of  supporting  evidence • Balance  between  desirable and   undesirable  effects • Patient values and  preferences • Wise  use  of  Resources High,  Moderate,  Low,   Very  Low Strong,  Conditional
21. Direct  versus  indirect  evidence • Ideally,  direct  evidence  should  be  examined  which   consists  of  studies  examining  the  effects  of  screening   versus  no  screening among  chronic  GERD  patients.   • When  direct  evidence  is  unavailable  the  task  force  may   also  examine  indirect  evidence.   • Indirect  evidence  is  either  linked to  the  outcome  (e.g.   treatment)  or  related to  the  intervention  (e.g.  different   screening  interventions)  but  this  indirectness  decreases   the  certainty  of  evidence 21
22. RECOMMENDATION Screening  for  esophageal   adenocarcinoma  in  patients  with  chronic   GERD 22
23. Recommendation • We  recommend  not  screening  adults  (≥18   years)  with  chronic  GERD,  for  esophageal   adenocarcinoma  or  precursor  conditions   (Barrett  esophagus  or  dysplasia)  (strong   recommendation;;  very  low-­certainty  evidence) -­ This  recommendation  does  not  apply  to  people  with  chronic  GERD   exhibiting  alarm  symptoms  or  to  those  diagnosed  with  BE  (with  or   without  dysplasia) -­ Although  risk  factors  such  as  age  (≥50  yr),  male  sex,  family  history,   white  race/ethnicity,  abdominal  obesity  and  smoking  may  increase  the   risk  for  EAC,  relevant  trials  and  cohort  studies  did  not  include  sufficient   data  within  each  category  to  support  modifying  our  screening   recommendation  based  on  these  factors,  alone  or  in  combination   23
24. Considerations  for  implementation: • Clinicians  should  be  aware  of  alarm  symptoms  for  EAC   and  evaluate,  refer  and  manage  patients  accordingly • They  should  also  apply  clinical  judgement  for  the   investigation  and  management  of  those  unresponsive  to   GERD  treatment  or  with  symptoms  suggestive  of  other   upper  gastrointestinal  disorders  (e.g.,  dyspepsia) 24
25. RESULTS Screening  for  esophageal   adenocarcinoma  in  patients  with  chronic   GERD 25
26. Outcomes  of  EAC  screening Benefits • All-­cause  mortality  or  survival – Direct  evidence  from  one  retrospective  cohort  study  indicates  no   statistically  significant  difference  in  survival  (all  cause)  as  a  result   of  screening  (very  low  certainty  evidence)   • Incidence  of  EAC  (by  stage),  BE  and  dysplasia – Direct  evidence  from  one  retrospective  cohort  study  indicates   statistically  significant  absolute  effect  of  156  more  per  1,000   diagnosed  with  a  lower  stage  of  EAC  (stage  1  versus  stages  2-­4)   (very  low  certainty  evidence) • EAC  mortality  (no  data) • Quality  of  life  (no  data) 26
27. Outcomes  of  EAC  screening  (2) Harms • Life  threatening  or  severe  medical  consequences  of  screening – Indirect  evidence  from  two  trials  comparing  sedated   esophagogastroduodenoscopy  (sEGD)  versus  unsedated  transnasal   esophagoscopy  (uTNE)  (N  =  209)  and  uTNE  versus  unsedated   transoral  esophagogastroduodenoscopy  (uEGD)  (N  =  59)  reported   one  serious  adverse  event  (following  uTNE) • Psychological  effects – Indirect  evidence  from  three  RCTs  showed  that  uTNE  was   associated  with  higher  anxiety  compared  to  sEGD  (during   procedure)  or  swallowed  videocapsule  endoscopy  (VCE)  (before  and   during  procedure). – However,  the  mild  additional  discomfort  with  uTNE  seems  to  be  well   tolerated,  given  that  70  to  95%  of  participants  stated  they  would   undergo  it  again   27
28. Outcomes  of  EAC  screening  (3) Harms • Overdiagnosis  (no  data) • Additional  major  and  minor  medical  procedures  (no  data) Subgroup  analysis • A  priori-­defined  subgroup  analysis  variables  included  age,  sex,  Body   Mass  Index  (BMI),  smoking  history,  race  or  ethnicity,  duration  and   definition  of  GERD • All  studies  presented  insufficient  data  to  permit  subgroup  analyses   by  risk  factors     28
29. Benefits of  EAC  screening  among  chronic  GERD   patients  (Hamel  et  al.,  2019) Two  retrospective  cohort  studies  (Direct  evidence) – Rubenstein,  2008:  Compared  GERD  patients  with  prior   esophagogastroduodenoscopy  (EGD)  versus  no  prior  EGD   • Initiated  from  1995-­2003  in  the  US • 155  veterans  (99%  male) – Hammad,  2018:  Compared  GERD  patients  with  prior  EGD  versus  no   prior  EGD • Initiated  from  2005-­2017  in  the  US. • 153  patients  (99%  male) • Certainty  of  the  evidence  from  these  studies  was  assessed  as  being   very  low  due  to  serious  concerns  around  risk  of  bias,  indirectness,  and   imprecision   • Both  studies  presented  insufficient  data  to  permit  subgroup  analyses  by   risk  factors   • There  was  no  direct  evidence  on  the  incidence  of  BE  and/or  dysplasia. 29
30. Benefits of  EAC  screening  (direct  evidence) Outcome Risk  Ratio (95%  CI) Absolute  difference  /  1,000   screened  (95%  CI) Absolute  increase GRADE  Rating   of  Certainty   of  Evidence   Survival (Rubenstein,   2008) Narrative  summary:  Authors  reported  no  statistical  difference  in  long-­‐ term  survival  between  those  who  had  received  a  prior  EGD  and  those   who  had  not  (HR  0.82,  95%  CI  0.52-­‐1.29).  Adjustment  for  age,   comorbidities,  and  year  of  diagnosis  yielded  similar  results  (HR  0.93,   95%  CI,  0.58-­‐1.50). ⨁◯◯◯ VERY LOW Stage  1  at   diagnosis   (Rubenstein,   2008) 2.27 (1.04  to   4.95) 156  per  1,000  more  had  a  lower  stage   (stage  1  vs  stage  2-­‐4)  at  diagnosis  with   prior  EGD (5  more  to  486  more)   15.7% ⨁◯◯◯ VERY LOW Stage 1  at   diagnosis (Hammad,   2018) Narrative  summary:  Only  one  patient  fit  our  criteria  (not  under   surveillance  for  BE  and  was  screened in  the  previous  five  years).  An   additional  15  had  received  an  EGD  more  than  five  years  ago,  with  no   details  on  timing.  This  one  patient  was  diagnosed  with  "unknown   stage"  of  EAC. ⨁◯◯◯ VERY LOW 30
31. Harms of  EAC  screening:  Life  threatening,  severe,  or  medically   significant  consequences  (Hamel  et  al.,  2019) Two  RCTs  (indirect  evidence  comparing  different  screening  modalities) – Sami,  2015:  Compared  screening  with  sEGD  versus  hospital  based   uTNE  and  mobile  based  uTNE  among  GERD  patients • Initiated  from  2011-­2013  in  the  US • 209  patients  (46%  male)  with  a  one  time  test – Zaman  1999:  Compared  screening  with  uTNE  versus  unsedated   transoral  esophagogastroduodenoscopy  (uEGD)  among  GERD   patients • Study  dates  not  reported.  Performed  in  the  US • 105  patients  (58%  male)  with  one  time  test • Certainty  of  the  evidence  from  these  trials  was  assessed  as  being  very   low  due  to  very  serious  concerns  around  risk  of  bias  and  serious concerns  around  indirectness  and  imprecision  (Sami,  2015)  and  serious concerns  around  risk  of  bias,  indirectness  and  imprecision  (Zaman,  1999) • Both  studies  presented  insufficient  data  to  permit  subgroup  analyses  by   risk  factors   31
32. Harms of  screening:  Life  threatening,  severe,  or  medically   significant   consequences   (indirect  evidence) Outcome Narrative  summary GRADE  Rating   of  Certainty   of  Evidence   Life  threatening,  severe,  or   medically  significant   consequences  (Sami,  2015) Serious  adverse  events  were  assessed  1  and  30  days   after  the  procedure.  No  serious  adverse  events  were   reported  in  any  of  the  study  arms  (sEGD  versus  uTNE)   ⨁◯◯◯ VERY LOW Life  threatening,  severe,  or   medically  significant   consequences  (Zaman,   1999) Authors  reported  1  of  25  participants had  serious,  or   medically  significant  consequences  with  uTNE and  0  of   34  with  uEGD ⨁◯◯◯ VERY LOW 32
33. Harms of  EAC  screening:  Psychological  harms  (Hamel  et   al.,  2019)   Four RCTs  (Indirect  evidence  comparing  different  screening  modalities) – Chak,  2014:  Compared  screening  with  uTNE  versus  swallowed  video   capsule  endoscopy  (VCE)  among  GERD  patients • Study  dates  not  reported.  Performed  in  the  US • 184  patients  (96%  male)  with  a  one  time  test – Jobe,  2006:  Randomized  crossover  study.  Compared  screening  with   sEGD  +  biopsy  versus  uTNE  among  GERD  patients • Initiated  from  2004-­2005  in  the  US • 134  patients  (80%  male)  with  a  one  time  test  for  each  modality   (crossover) – Sami,  2015:  Compared  screening  with  sEGD  versus  hospital  based   uTNE  and  mobile  based  uTNE  among  GERD  patients • Initiated  from  2011-­2013  in  the  US • 209  patients  (46%  male)  with  a  one  time  test 33
34. Harms of  EAC  screening:  Psychological  harms  (2) – Zaman  1999:  Compared  screening  with  uTNE  versus  uEGD  among   GERD  patients • Study  dates  not  reported.  Performed  in  the  US • 105  patients  (58%  male)  with  one  time  test • Certainty  of  the  evidence  from  these  trials  was  assessed  as  being  very   low  due  to  very  serious  concerns  around  risk  of  bias  and  serious concerns  around  indirectness  and  imprecision  (Chak,  2014,  Jobe,  2006,   Sami,  2015,  and  Zaman,  1999) • All  studies  presented  insufficient  data  to  permit  subgroup  analyses  by   risk  factors   34
35. Harms of  EAC  screening:  Psychological  harms  (indirect   evidence) 35 Outcome Risk  Ratio (95%  CI) Absolute  difference  /   1,000  screened  (95%  CI) Absolute  increase GRADE  Rating   of  Certainty   of  Evidence   Anxiety before the   procedure   (Chak,  2014) 2.28 (1.33  to   3.88) 213  per  1,000  more  experienced   anxiety with  uTNE   (55  more  to  480  more)  compared  to   swallowed VCE 21.3% ⨁◯◯◯ VERY  LOW   Anxiety before the   procedure   (Jobe,  2006) Narrative  summary:  Authors  reported  on  those  who  experienced  no   anxiety  and  mild,  moderate  and  severe  anxiety.  There  was  no   difference  between  sEGD  and  uTNE  (p=0.08) ⨁◯◯◯ VERY  LOW   Anxiety before the   procedure   (Sami,  2015) Narrative summary:  Authors  reported  mean  anxiety.  There  was  no   statistically  significant  difference  between  uTNE  and  uEGD  (p=0.39) ⨁◯◯◯ VERY  LOW  
36. Harms of  EAC  screening:  Psychological  harms  (indirect   evidence)  (2) 36 Outcome Risk  Ratio (95%  CI) Absolute  difference  /   1,000  screened  (95%  CI) Absolute  increase GRADE  Rating   of  Certainty   of  Evidence   Anxiety during   insertion   (Jobe,  2006) Narrative  summary:  Authors  reported  those  who  experienced  no   anxiety,  and  mild,  moderate  and  severe  anxiety.  There  was  statistically   more  anxiety  reported  with  uTNE  compared  to  sEGD  (p<  0.01) ⨁◯◯◯ VERY  LOW   Anxiety during   insertion   (Zaman,   1999) Narrative summary:  Authors  reported  mean  anxiety  during  insertion.   There  was  no  statistically  significant  difference  between  uTNE  and   uEGD (p=0.63) ⨁◯◯◯ VERY  LOW  
37. Harms of  EAC  screening:  Psychological  harms  (indirect   evidence)  (3) 37 Outcome Risk  Ratio (95%  CI) Absolute  difference  /  1,000   screened  (95%  CI) Absolute   increase GRADE  Rating   of  Certainty   of  Evidence   Anxiety during   the  procedure   (Chak,  2014) 2.14  (1.22  – 3.77) 177  per  1,000  more  experienced   anxiety with  uTNE   (34  more  to  421  more)  compared   to  swallowed VCE 17.7% ⨁◯◯◯ VERY  LOW   Anxiety during the  procedure   (Jobe,  2006  and   Sami,  2015  ) Narrative  summary:  Both  studies  reported  statistically  significant   differences  with  those  randomized  uTNE  experiencing  more   anxiety  during  the  procedure  than  sEGD (p<0.01). ⨁◯◯◯ VERY  LOW   Anxiety during the  procedure   (Zaman,  1999) Narrative  summary:  Authors  reported  mean  anxiety  during  the   procedure.  The  mean  anxiety  did  not  differ  between  the  uTNE   and  uEGD  groups (p=0.99). ⨁◯◯◯ VERY  LOW  
38. Patient  Values  and  Preferences  on  Screening  for  EAC 38
39. Patient  values  and  preferences  on  screening  for   EAC  (Systematic  review  by  Hamel  et  al.,  2019) 39 • Patient  values  and  preferences  were  evaluated  through  a  systematic   review  of: a) how  adults  with  chronic  GERD  weigh  the  benefits and  harms of   screening  for  EAC b) what  factors contribute  to  these  preferences  and  to  their   decision  to  undergo  screening • Two  RCTs  and  one  cohort  study  were  identified
40. Patient  values  and  preferences  on  screening   for  EAC  (SR  by  Hamel  et  al.,  2019)  (2) 40 • Chak  2014:  Patients  asked  to  participate  in  RCT  compared  screening  with  uTNE   versus  swallowed  VCE  among  GERD  patients – Study  dates  not  reported.  Performed  in  the  US – Patient  characteristics  providing  outcome  data  not  reported • Zaman  1999:  Patients  asked  to  participate  in  RCT  compared  screening  with   uTNE  versus  uEGD  among  GERD  patients – Study  dates  not  reported.  Performed  in  the  US – Patient  characteristics  providing  outcome  data  not  reported • Zaman  1998:  Patients  asked  to  participate  in  cohort  study  compared  screening   with  uEGD  versus  sEGD  among  GERD  patients – Study  dates  not  reported.  Performed  in  the  US – Patient  characteristics  providing  outcome  data  not  reported • Risk  of  bias  for  these  studies  for  the  outcome  “uptake  of  screening”  was  assessed   as  high  risk  due  to  issues  with  randomization,  blinding  of participants,  missing   protocols,  selective  outcome  reporting  and  sources  of  funding
41. Patient  values  and  preferences  (SR  by  Hamel  et   al.,  2019)  (3) • The  SR  of  patient  values  and  preferences  found  no   evidence  on  how  patients  weigh  the  benefits  and  harms  of   screening.  However,  evidence  on  factors  that  contribute  to   willingness  to  be  screened  (acceptability)  was  found  in   three studies  comparing  endoscopic  screening  strategies – Two  studies  had  high  “stated  or  intended”  refusal  rates  (45  of  105;;   43%  and  19  of  62;;  31%  respectively)  due  to  anxiety,  lack  of   interest,  fear  of  gagging,  unwilling  to  be  study  subjects,  or   reluctance  to  undergo  transnasal  procedures  (Zaman,  1999  and   Zaman,  1998).  In  the other  study,  among  1,210  invited  participants,   52%  did  not  respond  to  the  letter,  32%  refused  (no  reason   provided),  1%  were  ineligible,  and  0.2%  cited  difficulty  attending   (Chak,  2014) 41
42. Patient  values  and  preferences:  Focus  groups   (Buckland  et  al.,  2018) • The  Task  Force  engaged  patients  in  guideline  development   through  two  phases  conducted  by  the  Knowledge  Translation   group  at  St.  Michael’s  Hospital,  Toronto • Each  phase  recruited  17  men  and  women  (aged  ≥18  years)   with  chronic  GERD • Phase  1  included  online  surveys  and  telephone  focus  groups   to  obtain  patient  ratings  of  relevant  outcomes • Phase  2  asked  participants  to  reconsider  outcome  ratings   when  presented  with  synthesized  evidence  from  the   systematic  reviews • Results  indicated  that  chronic  GERD  participants  had  a   moderate  desire  to  be  screened  (median  rating  =  6  out  of  9;;   where  1  =  not  at  all  willing  and  9  =  very  much  willing) 42
43. Summary  of  patient  values  and  preferences   (Systematic  review  and  focus  groups) • Acceptability  of  screening  was  variable  due  to  individual   values  and  preferences;; – Some  people  consistently  favoured  screening  because  of   individual  and  familial  risk  factors,  personal  beliefs,  or  fear  of   missing  an  early  diagnosis  (e.g.  focus  group  response  (moderate   intention  to  screen)) – Others  were  concerned  about  the  invasiveness  and  risks  of   screening  (e.g.  reluctance  to  participate  in  screening  trials  due  to   anxiety  or  fear  of  gagging  (low  actual  participation  found  in  SR)) • Based  on  this  range  of  observations  from  trials  and   within  focus  groups,  values  and  preferences  for   screening  are  judged  to  be  variable 43
44. Treatment  of  Barrett  esophagus,  dysplasia  and  stage  I   EAC 44
45. Treatment  of  BE,  dysplasia  or  stage  1  EAC   (Ahmadzai  et  al.,  2019) 45 • Given  the  limited  availability  of  direct  evidence  on  screening   effectiveness,  the  Task  Force  also  examined  the  effectiveness  of   treatment  options  for  stage  1  EAC  and  precancerous  conditions  (BE   and/or  dysplasia) Review  of  systematic  reviews  identified  11  systematic  reviews • Pandey,  2018:  Patients  diagnosed  with  BE  and  low  grade  dysplasia   (LGD).  Comparison  of  radiofrequency  ablation  (RFA)  versus  endoscopic   surveillance. – Date  of  last  search:  May  2017.  Conducted  in  the  UK – 2  RCTs;;  619  patients • Codipilly,  2018:  Patients  diagnosed  with  BE.  Comparison  of  endoscopic   surveillance  versus  no  surveillance. – Date  of  last  search:  September  2017.  Conducted  in  the  US – 1  ongoing  RCT;;  3,400  patients
46. Treatment  of  BE,  dysplasia  or  stage  1  EAC   (Ahmadzai  et  al.,  2019)  (2) 46 • Almond,  2014:  Patients  diagnosed   with  LGD.  Comparison  of  photodynamic   therapy  (PDT)  vs  argon  plasma  coagulation  (APC) – Date  of  last  search:  January  2013.  Conducted  in  the  UK – 6  RCTs  (3  providing  data);;  90  patients • Chadwick,  2014:  Patients  diagnosed   with  BE  and  high  grade  dysplasia  (HGD)  or   intramucosal  cancer.  Comparison  of  (a)  complete  endoscopic  mucosal  resection   (EMR)  +  triple  therapy  (proton  pump  inhibitors  (PPIs),  histamine  type  2  receptor   antagonists  (HR2A)  and  sucralfate)  vs  RFA  +  triple  therapy  and  (b)  RFA  +  PPI  vs   sham  +  PPI – Date  of  last  search:  January  2013.  Conducted  in  the  UK – 3  RCTs;;  47  patients • De  Souza,  2014:  Patients  diagnosed   with  BE  comparing;;  (a)  PDT  vs  APC  (b)   multipolar  electrocoagulation  (MPEC)  vs  APC  (c)  PDT  vs  PPI,  (d)  APC  vs  PPI,  (e)   RFA  vs  PPI – Date  of  last  search:  Not  reported.  Conducted  in  Brazil – 9  RCTs;;  649  patients
47. Treatment  of  BE,  dysplasia  or  stage  1  EAC   (Ahmadzai  et  al.,  2019)  (3) 47 • Desai,  2017:  Patients  diagnosed  with  BE-­related  neoplasia  (HGD/EAC).   Comparison  of  focal  EMR  +  RFA  vs  stepwise  (complete)  EMR – Date  of  last  search:  June  2016.  Conducted  in  the  USA – 1  RCT;;  47  patients • Fayter,  2010:  Patients  diagnosed  with  BE  or  EAC.  Comparison  of  (a)  5-­ aminolevulinic  acid  (5-­ALA)-­PDT  vs  placebo  PDT;;  (b)  5-­ALA-­PDT  vs  APC;;  (c)   PDT  with  porfimer  sodium  vs  APC;;  (d)  PDT  with  porfimer  sodium  +  PPI  vs  PPI   alone;;  (e)  PDT  delivery  comparisons – Date  of  last  search:  October  2008.  Conducted  in  the  UK – 11  RCTs;;  594  patients • Fujii-­Lau,  2017:  Patients  who  achieved  complete  eradication  of  intestinal   metaplasia  after  treatment  with  endoscopic  eradication  therapies.  Comparison  of   (a)  Stepwise  complete  EMR  vs  RFA  (b)  RFA  vs  sham – Date  of  last  search:  May  2016.  Conducted  in  the  USA – 2  RCTs;;  22  patients
48. Treatment  of  BE,  dysplasia  or  stage  1  EAC  (Ahmadzai  et  al.,   2019)  (4) • Li,  2008:  Patients  with  BE.  Comparison  of  (a)  anti-­reflux  surgery  (ARS)  vs   Omeprazole  (b)  PPI  vs  H2RA  (c)  PDT  vs  PPI  (d)  ARS+APC  vs  ARS+   endoscopic  surveillance  (e)  APC  vs  PDT – Date  of  last  search:  Not  reported.  Conducted  in  China – 13  RCTs  (12  providing  data);;  747  patients • Qumseya,  2017:  Patients  with  BE  and  LGD.  Comparison  of  RFA  vs  surveillance.   – Date  of  last  search:  December  2015.  Conducted   in  the  USA – 2  RCT;;  199  patients • Rees,  2010:  Patients  with  BE  (with  or  without  dysplasia).  Comparison  of  (a)  PPI   vs  H2RA  (b)  Celecoxib  vs  placebo  (c)  ARS  vs  PPI/H2RA  (d)  APC  vs  endoscopic   surveillance  (e)  APC  +  PPI  vs  MPEC  +  PPI  (f)  APC  +  PPI  vs  PDT  (g)  PDT  +  PPI   vs  PPI  (h)  5-­ALA-­PDT  vs  PDT  (Porfimer  sodium)  (i)  RFA+PPI  vs  PPI – Date  of  last  search:  June  2008.  Conducted  in  the  UK – 16  RCTs  (15  providing  data);;  1074  patients 48
49. Treatment  of  BE,  dysplasia  or  stage  1  EAC  (Ahmadzai  et  al.,   2019)  (5) • AMSTAR  rating  (assessment  of  methodological  quality)   for  these  systematic  reviews  was  assessed  as  being   critically  low  (Pandey,  2018,  Codipilly,  2018,  Almond,   2014,  Chadwick,  2014,  De  Souza,  2014,  Desai,  2017,   Fayter,  2010,  Fujii-­Lau,  2017,  Li,  2008)  to  low   (Qumseya,  2017,  Rees,  2010) 49
50. Treatment  of  BE,  dysplasia  or  stage  1  EAC  (Ahmadzai  et  al.,   2019)  (6) Results: • There  were  few  studies,  all  with  small  sample  sizes  by  outcome,  and  for   many  outcomes,  only  one  study  provided  results,  thereby  providing  little   information  with  which  to  gauge  the  certainty  of  the  evidence – PDT,  RFA  and  EMR  of  BE  (with  or  without  PPI)  provided  a   statistically  significant  increase  in  eradication  or  clearance  of   dysplasia  (very  low  to  low-­certainty  evidence)   – Harms  included  increased  stenosis  and  strictures  for  EMR   compared  to  RFA  and  increased  stricture  formation  with  PDT  plus   omeprazole  compared  to  omeprazole  alone  (very  low-­certainty   evidence) • No  data  was  available  for  quality  of  life,  psychological  effects,  additional   medical  procedures  or  overdiagnosis 50
51. RATIONALE  FOR  RECOMMENDATION Screening  for  Esophageal  Adenocarcinoma  in   patients  with  chronic  GERD 51
52. Rationale • One  small  retrospective  cohort  study  compared  screening  to  no   screening  and  reported  that,  although  patients  with  a  prior  EGD   were  statistically  more  likely  to  have  a  lower  stage  of  EAC  at  time  of   diagnosis,  there  were  no  statistically  significant  survival  differences   (very  low-­certainty  evidence) • Preferences  among  chronic  GERD  patients  appear  variable.  The   systematic  review  indicated  hesitancy  to  participate,  while  focus   groups  showed  a  moderate  willingness  to  be  screened • Some  endoscopic  techniques  may  eradicate  dysplasia  but  the   overview  of  reviews  showed  a  range  of  possible  evidence  certainty   from  very  low  to  low 52
53. Rationale  (2) • One  serious  adverse  event  from  screening  was  reported   across  two  small  trials,  which  compared  screening  modalities   (very  low-­certainty) • Screening  all  adults  with  chronic  GERD  would  require   substantial  resources.  Given  the  limited  and  uncertain   evidence  of  effectiveness,  we  believe  screening  all  patients   with  chronic  GERD  would  not  be  feasible  or  acceptable  and   that  it  could  inappropriately  divert  substantial  health  resources • In  light  of  no  direct  evidence  of  benefit  from  screening  on  any   critical  or  important  outcome  other  than  a  statistically   improved  stage  at  diagnosis,  without  a  difference  in  survival: The  Task  Force  recommends  against  screening  all  chronic   GERD  patients   53
54. Rationale  (3) Strong recommendations: • Used  when   – The  WG  is  confident  that  the  undesirable  effects     outweigh  the  desirable  effects,  or   – The  WG  is  confident  that  the  desirable  effects  outweigh   the  undesirable  effects   • The  recommendation  is  strong  because  in  its   evidence  to  decision  framework  the  Task  Force   placed  a  high  value  on  the  system-­wide  resources   required  to  screen  all  chronic  GERD  patients   (estimated  at  10  to  20%  of  the  Canadian   population)  without  evidence  of  benefit   54
55. KNOWLEDGE  GAPS  AND  NEXT  STEPS Screening  for  Esophageal  Adenocarcinoma  in   patients  with  chronic  GERD 55
56. Knowledge  gaps • Screening  trials – There  is  a  lack  of  well  designed  screening  trials  due  to   the  low  prevalence  of  EAC  and  limited  probability  that   GERD  patients  will  progress  to  cancer.   – Future  RCTs  should  examine  screening  among  chronic   GERD  subgroup  populations  to  help  predict  who  will   progress  to  EAC – A  standard  definition  of  what  is  considered  chronic   GERD  should  be  agreed  upon  and  employed  in  trials 56
57. Knowledge  gaps  (2) • Alternative  screening  modalities – High  quality  evidence  on  less  invasive   screening  modalities  is  needed  (e.g.   Cytosponge  or  other  swallowed  devices) • Treatment: – Interpretation  of  data  was  limited  due  to  poorly   reported  low-­quality  SRs,  unclear  or  high  risk  of   bias  trials  (with  small  sample  sizes)  and  few   studies  per  treatment  modality – More  and  better  designed  trials  are  needed 57
58. Knowledge  gaps  (3) • Harms  of  screening – Increased  research  and  understanding   of  the  risk  of  overdiagnosis  and  other   harms  of  screening  is  needed • Patient  values  and  preferences – Additional  studies  on  patient  values  and   preferences  for  screening  are  needed 58
59. Knowledge  translation  (KT)  tools 59
60. Knowledge  translation  (KT)  tools • A  KT  tool  has  been  developed  to  help  clinicians  and  individuals   understand  the  EAC  screening  guideline • After  the  public  release,  this  tool  will  be  freely  available  for   download  in  both  French  and English on  the  website:   http://canadiantaskforce.ca 60
61. OTHER  NATIONAL  EAC  SCREENING   RECOMMENDATIONS Screening  for  Esophageal  Adenocarcinoma  in   patients  with  chronic  GERD 61
62. Other  national  EAC  screening  recommendations: • American  College  of  Gastroenterology,  2015 – Screening  for  Barrett  esophagus  may  be  considered  in  men  with   chronic  (>5  years)  and/or  frequent  (weekly  or  more)  symptoms  of   gastroesophageal  reflux  disease  and  two  or  more  risk  factors  for   Barrett  esophagus  or  esophageal  adenocarcinoma  (Strong   recommendation,  moderate  level  of  evidence) • American  Society  for  Gastrointestinal  Endoscopy,  2015   – We  suggest  that  endoscopy  be  considered  in  patients  with  multiple   risk  factors  for  Barrett  esophagus  (Very  low  quality) • National  Institute  for  Health  Care  Excellence  (NICE),  2014   – Do  not  routinely  offer  endoscopy  to  diagnose  Barrett  esophagus   (strong  recommendation),  but  consider  it  if  the  person  has   gastroesophageal  reflux  disease  (conditional  recommendation).   Discuss  the  person's  preferences  and  their  individual  risk  factors. 62
63. Other  national  EAC  screening  recommendations  (2) • British  Society  of  Gastroenterology,  2013 – Screening  with  endoscopy  is  not  feasible  or  justified  for  an   unselected  population  with  gastro-­oesophageal  reflux  symptoms   (Recommendation  grade  B) • American  Gastroenterological  Association  (AGA),  2011 – We  recommend  against  screening  the  general  population  with   gastroesophageal  reflux  disease  for  Barrett  esophagus  (strong   recommendation,  low-­quality  evidence). – In  patients  with  multiple  risk  factors  associated  with  esophageal   adenocarcinoma,  we  suggest  screening  for  Barrett  esophagus   (Weak  recommendation,  moderate-­quality  evidence) 63
64. CONCLUSIONS   Screening  for  Esophageal  Adenocarcinoma  in   patients  with  chronic  GERD 64
65. Conclusions • The  Task  Force  recommends  not  screening  adults   with  chronic  GERD  for  EAC and  precursor  conditions   (BE  or  dysplasia),  because  available  evidence  did  not   demonstrate  benefit,  and  there  are  uncertain  harms,   important  resource  implications  and  variable  patient   values  and  preferences • This  strong  recommendation  indicates  that  clinicians   should  not  offer  screening  to  adults  ≥18  years  with   chronic  GERD*   *Excludes  those  who  are  exhibiting  alarm  symptoms  or  those   diagnosed  with  BE  (with  or  without  dysplasia) 65
66. More  information For  more  information  on  the  details  of  this  guideline  please   see: • Canadian  Task  Force  for  Preventive  Health  Care   website:  http://canadiantaskforce.ca 66
67. Questions  and  answers Thank  you 67