Missed Opportunities: Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Patients with Prior Colonoscopies Lack Timely Esophagogastroduodenoscopy

In the era of widespread colonoscopy, many patients later diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) had prior screening colonoscopies, presenting missed opportunities for earlier detection. Among 221 referred patients, 49% had prior colonoscopies, yet only 18% had an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) before EA diagnosis. Most displayed gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms or acid medication use during screening colonoscopy. An EGD at this stage could have identified EA earlier, emphasizing a significant diagnostic gap despite available screening tools.