Connection between inflammation and carcinogenesis in gastrointestinal tract: Focus on TGF-β signaling

Figure 1 Connection between inflammation and carcinogenesis as demonstrated in a rat model of Barrett’s esophagus. With the application of surgical bypass, esophagoduodenostomy (red boxed), overt discolored lesions (white boxed) were noted at the esophagogastric junction, which showed the existence of intestinal metaplasia against a background of squamous epithelium. These animal models provided evidence of the cross-linking between inflammation and premalignant lesions.