Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0014848 (achalasia)
 2,804 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The work-up of patients with benign diseases of the esophagus should start with a diagnostic evaluation. This includes a carefully taken history, radiologic and endoscopic examinations and, in suspected reflux disease, recording of intraesophageal pH. For the evaluation of functional troubles esophageal manometry is recommended. Patients with complicated reflux disease and failures of antireflux treatment should be operated upon. In high peptic stenoses, Barrett's syndrome should be carefully looked for. Achalasia is treated by pneumatic dilatations with more than 90% good or satisfactory results. But diffuse esophageal spasm is little responsive to therapy. There is a risk of secondary carcinoma in Barrett's syndrome, achalasia, caustic lesions and Plummer-Vinson syndrome. Therefore these patients should be seen at regular intervals. There is an urgent need for controlled studies evaluating the comparative results of medical and surgical therapy.
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PMID:[Benign diseases of the esophagus. An internist's view]. 96 Sep 12

A review of the literature is done about the epidemiology and aetiology of esophageal cancer. Esophageal cancer is a relatively uncommon neoplasm in Western countries with a very poor prognosis. In industrialized countries alcohol and tobacco are the major risk factors. Nutritional factors play also an important role in the aetiology of esophageal cancer, particularly a diet rich in cereal but poor in fresh fruit and vegetables, accounts for some of the geographic differences. Several predisposing disorders for esophageal cancer are known and include Barrett's esophagus, achalasia, chronic strictures due to corrosive substances, tylosis, coeliac disease, and the Plummer-Vinson syndrome. The clinical manifestations are also discussed.
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PMID:Epidemiology and clinical aspects of esophageal cancer. 166 45

Modified Heller's myotomy for achalasia of the esophagus was performed via a left thoracotomy in 34 cases (group A) and via an upper midline abdominal incision in 30 (group B). There were no perioperative deaths. Complications arose in ten cases. After follow-up averaging 13 years (range 3-24 years) 4% of the group A patients reported dysphagia for solids, but none for liquids, and in group B the corresponding figures were 52% and 26%. Reflux symptoms were present in 30% of the group A and 60% of the group B cases, and the respective incidence of microscopic esophagitis was 30% and 43%. There were three esophageal strictures, all in group B, and three cases of Barrett's epithelium, all in group A. Because of the high incidence of esophagitis and its complications following esophagomyotomy for achalasia, yearly endoscopy with biopsy and brush cytology is recommended. When myotomy is performed, an antireflux operation should be added.
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PMID:Esophagocardiomyotomy for achalasia. Long-term clinical and endoscopic evaluation of transabdominal vs. transthoracic approach. 168 19

A 70-year-old woman with no previous gastroesophageal surgery gave a 6-month history of dysphagia. Barium studies suggested a diagnosis of achalasia. Esophageal manometry showed absence of peristalsis and a high lower esophageal sphincter pressure. Endoscopy showed a dilated esophagus with food residue, and Barrett's esophagus was present. The association of Barrett's esophagus and achalasia must be rare.
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PMID:Barrett's esophagus and achalasia. A case report. 174 94

The Authors report a review of the data gathered by manometry and pH-metry in the functional esophageal diseases. Manometric and pH-metric patterns of gastro-esophageal reflux, Barrett esophagus, diverticula, achalasia, aspecific motility disorders and non-cardiac chest pain, are analyzed. Data conditioning the choice of surgical treatment in the literature and in the authors' experience are reported in detail.
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PMID:[Esophageal manometry and pH-monitoring for surgical indications]. 206 77

Although squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus occurs with increased incidence in primary achalasia, esophageal adenocarcinoma has been considered rare in this condition. We report a patient with long-standing achalasia in whom adenocarcinoma of the esophagus occurred many years after Heller esophagomyotomy, presumably related to Barrett's esophagus complicating gastro-esophageal reflux disease.
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PMID:Esophageal adenocarcinoma in a patient with surgically treated achalasia. 225 39

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) was performed prospectively in 38 patients with various esophageal disorders. Twenty-four had a histologically proven carcinoma and EUS was done to assess its ability in preoperative staging. In 9 of 24 patients (37.5%), tumor stenosis could be passed with the endoscope and EUS preoperative findings regarding tumor extension and the presence of enlarged periesophageal lymph nodes were confirmed in those operated on (n = 4). In five patients with achalasia, a periesophageal tumor was reliably excluded by EUS. In one of four patients with Barrett's esophagus, EUS demonstrated a small (less than 1 cm) carcinoma that could not be visualized with any conventional technique. For differentiation of cancer recurrence after operation from periesophageal scar tissue EUS-guided transmural biopsies are needed. Our experience shows that at the present time EUS is the most reliable method to demonstrate small (less than or equal to 1 cm) intra- and extramural esophageal lesions and that it should therefore be applied early in the work-up of patients with dysphagia.
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PMID:Endoscopic ultrasonography in esophageal diseases. 266 1

In the US, the cumulative lifetime risk of developing carcinoma of the upper gastrointestinal tract is less than 1 per cent, premalignant conditions are uncommon, and esophageal and gastric malignancies are rarely curable even when identified early. Endoscopic screening of the upper gastrointestinal tract in asymptomatic persons thus cannot be justified. Surveillance of persons with certain uncommon conditions associated with a higher risk of upper gastrointestinal cancer may be of benefit. These conditions include achalasia, Barrett's esophagus, chronic atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia, familial polyposis coli, gastric polyps, lye stricture, Plummer-Vinson syndrome, and tylosis. In the lower gastrointestinal tract, however, the lifetime risk of developing carcinoma is 5 per cent, premalignant conditions and lesions are common, and carcinoma is curable when detected at an early stage. Sigmoidoscopic screening of asymptomatic adults has been advocated by the American Cancer Society but has not become widely practiced because of its cost, required physician effort, low overall yield, and poor patient compliance. Surveillance by flexible sigmoidoscopy is recommended for persons at slightly increased risk of colorectal carcinoma who have prior breast or gynecologic malignancy or a family history of colorectal malignancy. Colonoscopic surveillance is recommended for patients with high risk of colorectal cancer who have had prior colorectal carcinoma or adenoma or who have inflammatory bowel disease or a ureterosigmoidostomy.
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PMID:Endoscopic screening and surveillance for gastrointestinal malignancy. 268 51

This study examines the scintigraphic transit pattern in a variety of esophageal disorders. Scintigraphy was performed with a semi solid bolus and the patient in an upright position. Condensed esophageal images were obtained from which we derived the esophageal transit time. The pattern of bolus transit was graded by the duration of transit and by the presence of hold up or retrograde motion. Scintigrams were performed in 11 volunteers and 88 patients whose esophageal function had been confirmed by conventional gastroesophageal techniques. Esophageal disorders examined included achalasia (20), scleroderma (9), esophageal carcinoma (8), Barrett esophagus (5), and reflux esophagitis (27). We also examined the effects of gastroesophageal surgery on esophageal function. Transit times distinguished grossly abnormal esophageal function from normal but did not distinguish between different esophageal disorders. Graded transit patterns were a more sensitive indicator of esophageal function and permitted some differentiation between esophageal disorders and allowed evaluation of the effects of gastroesophageal surgery.
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PMID:Esophageal scintigraphy: applications and limitations in the study of esophageal disorders. 340 2

Early esophageal cancer (EEC) accounted for only seven (4.7%) of 148 cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed at the authors' hospital between 1977 and 1984. Two patients with EEC had squamous cell carcinoma and five had adenocarcinoma arising in Barrett's mucosa. All seven patients had associated clinical findings, including low-grade gastrointestinal bleeding (three cases), odynophagia (one case), and chronic reflux symptoms due to underlying reflux esophagitis and Barrett esophagus (three cases). Since Barrett esophagus is a premalignant condition, the high proportion of adenocarcinomas in this series presumably reflects the more frequent radiologic evaluation of symptomatic patients with Barrett esophagus. On esophagography, four patients had 3-4.5-cm polypoid intraluminal masses that could not be distinguished radiographically from advanced esophageal carcinoma. In the other three patients, esophagrams revealed secondary achalasia, irregular flattening of the esophageal wall, and diffuse nodularity of the mucosa. The authors conclude that "early" esophageal cancers are not necessarily small cancers, since they may undergo considerable intraluminal or intramural growth and still be classified histologically as EEC. Radiologists should be aware of these findings, since EEC has an excellent prognosis with a 5-year survival approaching 90%.
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PMID:Early esophageal cancer. 348 67


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