Does the human squamous oesophagus have widespread capacity for clonal expansion from cells at diverse stages of differentiation?
Oesophageal epithelial cells demonstrate remarkable plasticity for self-renewal. This situation could be viewed as an ex vivo wounding response and is compatible with recent findings in murine models.
Half the FOB screen-positive patients had bowel symptoms. Symptoms in these patients had no correlation with an increased rate of neoplasia. The PPV for neoplasia is superior in symptomatic and asymptomatic screen-positive patients when compared to conventional urgent symptom-based referral.