Talking about Barrett’s Syndrome, Johnson told a New Zealand radio station called Voxy: “It leads to cancer of the oesophagus, then they have to take the voice box out, which stopped me right in my tracks.”
What is Barrett’s Syndrome
Barrett’s syndrome is when the oesophagus–the swallowing tube connecting the mouth and stomach–is damaged by acid reflux, states the Mayo Clinic.
Before developing Barrett’s syndrome, people develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is when the oesophagus is regularly bathed in acid due to acid reflux.
Acid reflux is caused by the failure of an important valve between the oesophagus and stomach, responsible for letting food move to your oesophagus, called the lower oesophageal sphincter. This failure can occur as you get older.
