Molecular determinants of metaplastic and neoplastic transformation in the esophageal epithelium.

A metaplastic change where normal squamous mucosa of the esophagus is replaced by columnar mucosa is considered an adaptive process to withstand the chronic gastroesophageal reflux injury. However, this phenotypic switch in the esophageal mucosa is associated with an increased propensity to undergo neoplastic transformation. In this chapter, we review the molecular alterations that are relevant to metaplastic and neoplastic transformations in the esophagus and also discuss the mechanisms that could potentially contribute to this transformation.