Familial Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma may have a genetic basis. Studies have found case reports of familial clusters of BE and EAC spanning multiple generations. A pilot study found that first and second degree relatives of BE and EAC patients have higher rates of BE than controls. Segregation analysis supports a model where an incompletely dominant allele contributes to familial BE risk. Linkage analysis has identified potential chromosomal regions linked to BE. Further sequencing is still needed to identify the specific genetic variants involved.