does yourgenetics increase your risk for getting barretts esophagus

research indicates a genetic predisposition to acquiring barrets esophagus

heres an article

"Gene Mutations Linked to Barrett's Esophagus
By Nancy Walsh, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Published: July 27, 2011
Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and
Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner
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Germline mutations in three genes appear to be associated with the development of esophageal disease, researchers reported.

Specific mutations in MSR1, ASCC1, and CTHRC1 all were linked with Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma (P<0.001), according to Charis Eng, MD, PhD, of the Cleveland Clinic, and colleagues.

The most common mutation was found in MSR1 (c.877C>T, p.R293X), and was present in eight of 116 patients with the two conditions, for a proportion of 0.069 (95% CI 0.030 to 0.130, P<0.001), the researchers reported in the July 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association."

read the rest at

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Genetics/GeneralGenetics/27754

One of the GI doctors that I have been to several times said that if I was going to get Barretts I would have probably already gotten it by now. His statement made me think that some people get Barretts and some don't. That could be genetic or a second component is needed to get it.

There is no strong evidence that having a close relative with esophageal adenocarcinoma significantly increases your risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. There are at least four recent studies looking at relatives of patients who developed esophageal adenocarcinoma. Three of these studies reported that having a close relative with esophageal adenocarcinoma did not increase the risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. The fourth study reported that  patients who had Barrett's esophagus or esophageal adenocarcinoma were more likely to have a relative with Barrett's esophagus or esophageal adenocarcinoma compared to patients who had GERD but no Barrett's esophagus. However, most patients who have an esophageal adenocarcinoma do not have a known family history of esophageal adenocarcinoma. ^{References: Brown LM, Swanson CA, Gridley G, Swanson GM, Schoenberg JB, Greenberg RS, Silverman DT, Pottern LM, Hayes RB, Schwartz AG, et al}

and Kitt just to add on to my last comment

what you posted is good news for all of us who are worried about barretts and cancer

as you point out with reference to the studies

barretts may have a familial link

but esophageal adenocarcinnoma appears not have such a link...very telling