It starts off as heartburn or acid reflux but can turn into something much more serious.
Thre-point-three-million people in the U-S have Barrett's Esophagus, a condition that can lead to cancer.
Doctors are using a tool that burns away dangerous cells, and lowers the cancer risk.
If someone breaks it, there's a good chance John Davies can fix it.
The former Royal Australian Air Force Wing Commander spent 29 years working on planes -- a high stress job that took a toll on John's health.
"It just would last just about all night, just terrible pain."
His stomach pain came from a long battle with heartburn and acid reflux disease.
The stomach acid causes cells that line the esophagus to change.
It's called Barrett's Esophagus and it put John at a 40-percent higher risk of developing cancer.
"You really get scared, which I was."
Doctors turned to a radio-frequency treatment to burn off the pre-cancerous cells.
Dr. John Carroll at Georgetown University Hospital says "essentially using thermal energy to go ahead and damage the tissue and destroy the cells."
An Endoscope with a tiny balloon or probe at the tip goes into the esophagus.
It delivers radiofrequency energy through heat coils, destroying the thin layer of tissure where the problem cells live.
"Burns off the superficial layer but doesn't go deeper. The esophagus heals remarkably quickly."
In traditional surgery, doctors remove a portion of the esophagus and reconnect it to the stomach.
It keeps patients in the hospital for three weeks, and eating can be a challenge.
The new radiofrequency treatment is an out-patient procedure that takes about 30 minutes.
People can eat the next day.
"Like the weight of the world had come off your shoulders, thinking at one point you're gonna go through this major surgery."
A handy man who is grateful doctors found a way to fix him up without surgery.
In a study, 74-percent of people had no evidence of Barrett's Esophagus in their biopsies after the radiofrequency treatment.
Patients will typically take medication after the procedure to prevent acid reflux from returning.
Thre-point-three-million people in the U-S have Barrett's Esophagus, a condition that can lead to cancer.
Doctors are using a tool that burns away dangerous cells, and lowers the cancer risk.
If someone breaks it, there's a good chance John Davies can fix it.
The former Royal Australian Air Force Wing Commander spent 29 years working on planes -- a high stress job that took a toll on John's health.
"It just would last just about all night, just terrible pain."
His stomach pain came from a long battle with heartburn and acid reflux disease.
The stomach acid causes cells that line the esophagus to change.
It's called Barrett's Esophagus and it put John at a 40-percent higher risk of developing cancer.
"You really get scared, which I was."
Doctors turned to a radio-frequency treatment to burn off the pre-cancerous cells.
Dr. John Carroll at Georgetown University Hospital says "essentially using thermal energy to go ahead and damage the tissue and destroy the cells."
An Endoscope with a tiny balloon or probe at the tip goes into the esophagus.
It delivers radiofrequency energy through heat coils, destroying the thin layer of tissure where the problem cells live.
"Burns off the superficial layer but doesn't go deeper. The esophagus heals remarkably quickly."
In traditional surgery, doctors remove a portion of the esophagus and reconnect it to the stomach.
It keeps patients in the hospital for three weeks, and eating can be a challenge.
The new radiofrequency treatment is an out-patient procedure that takes about 30 minutes.
People can eat the next day.
"Like the weight of the world had come off your shoulders, thinking at one point you're gonna go through this major surgery."
A handy man who is grateful doctors found a way to fix him up without surgery.
In a study, 74-percent of people had no evidence of Barrett's Esophagus in their biopsies after the radiofrequency treatment.
Patients will typically take medication after the procedure to prevent acid reflux from returning.
