PKP1 and Barrett esophagus: Furthermore, PKP1 demonstrates potential in the early detection of cancer, as evidenced by an increase in promoter methylation frequency from 12.8% in Barrett’s esophagus to 33.3% in high-grade dysplasia and EAC (p < 0.05), highlighting its value as an epigenetic biomarker for risk stratification (Kaz et al., 2012).