Some people have it all their life with little damage. Some people didn't even know they had GERD til they found out they had esophagal cancer. Like me, I was misdiagnosed with asthma in 92, it wasn't til Sept 2003 that I had esophagitis, and in sept 2004 it was mild barrett's esophagus. Barrett's seldom turns to cancer so the Drs say, it is just a risk factor for it, but it does happen. Up to last August I could count on my both hands the times I had heartburn, like maybe twice a year since 92 anyway, so I didn't think anything of it. my asthma symptoms were acid reflux when I took my pulmonary test in Jan. I have had every known drug so far none of them have tamed the flame like I would like, tho it has got rid of the asthma like symptoms, scared to have another endoscopy because the burn still goes and has been since August, makes me wonder what the barretts looks like now, it was mild in sept. Prilosec has worked the best, at least it is a small irritation instead of the torch as before. As for life expectancy, who knows, if you are predisposed for this kind of cancer it's more risky but it is a rare cancer. My mother has had barretts for 30yrs and she is still going and still dealing with the burn. Mine started with a gastritis attack that turned to heartburn and it just never went away this time. It really sucks and these last 7 months it has really taken the joy out eating, crappy way to turn your eating habits around tho.
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