AI-powered screening to detect Barrett’s esophagus and early esophageal cancer
Official title: Minimally Invasive Molecular Approaches for the Detection of Barrett’s Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
Funded at Mayo Clinic Arizona · NIH-11384589 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Mayo Clinic team is testing an AI-assisted tool that uses health data to identify people at risk for Barrett’s esophagus and early esophageal cancer so they can get timely endoscopic evaluation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | July 2, 2019 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $634,585 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA241164-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384589 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with symptoms or risk factors for Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal adenocarcinoma, and individuals who may benefit from risk-guided screening.
✕Less likely to help
Low-risk individuals with no BE/EAC risk factors may not benefit from intensive screening.
What this research studies
This project aims to improve early detection of Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma by using an artificial intelligence system that analyzes electronic health records to estimate risk. The approach builds on prior progress showing AI can create a more accurate risk score than current guidelines, guiding who should be offered endoscopic screening or surveillance. It focuses on integrating clinical data, endoscopic findings, and dysplasia risk to streamline referral and monitoring pathways. If successful, the system could reduce missed cases and unnecessary procedures, by personalizing screening decisions. It involves Mayo Clinic Arizona investigators and collaborators, with a plan spanning several years to validate and refine the tool in real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients at higher risk could be identified earlier and receive timely endoscopic evaluation, potentially improving survival.
How similar studies have gone: Prior AI-based risk tools for BE/EAC have shown improved accuracy (e.g., higher AUC) but require further real-world validation.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Arizona
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Iyer, Prasad G. — Mayo Clinic Arizona
- Study coordinator: Iyer, Prasad G.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Natural products to block IL-8 signaling and prevent Barrett's Esophagus from turning into esophageal cancer
A搜索-friendly plan to use safe natural compounds to interrupt a key inflammatory signal (IL-8) and stop Barrett’s esophagus from turning into esophageal cancer in people with GERD.
-
Overcoming Immunotherapy Resistance in Metastatic Gastric/Esophageal Cancer
A Mayo Clinic-led study aims to find better combos of immune therapy and standard treatment to help people with metastatic gastric and esophageal cancer who don’t respond well to current options.
-
NEK2's role in esophageal cancer development
A study looking at how the NEK2 protein contributes to the development and progression of esophageal adenocarcinoma in conditions like Barrett’s esophagus.
-
Understanding why some esophageal cancer patients don’t respond to chemoradiation
A research project at MD Anderson is looking at why esophageal cancer patients often don’t fully respond to chemoradiation and how tumor biology and the surrounding environment affect treatment.
-
SOX4-driven transcription in esophageal cancer
Researchers are studying how a specific gene network drives esophageal cancer that can arise from Barrett's esophagus, aiming to uncover new targets for therapy.
-
Understanding how a DNA repair protein helps esophageal cancer resist treatment
A new NIH grant is exploring how a DNA repair protein called APE1 helps esophageal cancer cells survive and resist chemotherapy in Barrett’s esophagus toward preventing or treating esophageal cancer.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.