Early onset Barrettʼs esophagus: new data, new challenges

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is commonly diagnosed in individuals over 50 years of age, with increasing age being a significant risk factor [1]. Owing to its low prevalence in younger populations, most studies and clinical guidelines have focused primarily on older adults; however, the prevalence of BE in younger populations is an area of growing interest and concern, with data indicating an increasing incidence. A large dataset from the USA has shown that, while the proportion of BE patients aged 70 years and older has dropped significantly, younger patient groups have demonstrated the highest increases in BE cases, especially among those aged 30–39 years [2]. Despite extensive research on BE in the general population, data on its incidence and progression in younger individuals remain sparse.