Monroe, Ga. (April 26, 2024) — Piedmont Walton Hospital recently partnered with Lucid Diagnostics to hold an esophageal pre-cancer screening for first responders in Walton County. Fifty-nine personnel from the City of Monroe Fire Department, the City of Loganville Fire Department, the Social Circle City Fire Department, the Walton County Fire Department, and Walton County EMS attended the event, with 55 participating in the screening with Piedmont gastroenterologist Mehul Parikh, M.D., Nurse Practitioner Tara Gulsby, and Physician Assistant Holli Newton.

The Piedmont providers used Eso Guard technology to screen for precancerous cells in the esophagus. According to research, firefighters are 62 percent more likely to develop esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and have a 39 percent higher likelihood of dying from EAC. Eso Guard testing allows providers to identify individuals with precancerous cells and begin a preventative treatment plan before it becomes a cancer diagnosis.

“The numbers of firefighters being diagnosed and dying from EAC are staggering,” said City of Monroe Fire Chief Andrew Dykes at the event. “This testing can provide the pathway to a much different outcome, making a true difference in the lives and futures of our firefighters.”

Learn more about Piedmont's oncology services.