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)

We describe a patient who developed an esophageal adenocarcinoma 25 years after esophagomyotomy for achalasia. The tumor arose in a Barrett's esophagus, suggesting gastroesophageal acid reflux following the Heller procedure.
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PMID:Esophageal adenocarcinoma following Heller myotomy for achalasia. 356 52

Of 70 patients with achalasia and related motor disorders, 3 developed Barrett's esophagus 5, 8, and 15 years after esophagomyotomy. One of the three had dysplastic changes in the Barrett's mucosa. Although an increased incidence of gastroesophageal reflux, esophagitis, and stricture are well-known complications after esophagomyotomy, the development of Barrett's mucosa has been only recently recognized. Diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus in such patients is difficult and requires a high index of awareness by the radiologist and an endoscopic biopsy for definitive diagnosis. The cumulative effects of achalasia and Barrett's esophagus predispose these patients to higher risks of developing esophageal carcinoma.
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PMID:Barrett's esophagus complicating achalasia after esophagomyotomy. A clinical, radiologic, and pathologic study of 70 patients with achalasia and related motor disorders. 357

Barrett's esophagus has been reported in patients with achalasia who have undergone esophagomyotomy. The condition was thought to be acquired from gastroesophageal reflux secondary to the iatrogenically produced incompetent sphincter. We present the case of a patient with Barrett's esophagus and achalasia without any previous surgical intervention.
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PMID:Barrett's esophagus in a patient with achalasia. 399 33

The authors present their experience with the radionuclide esophagogram. Cases illustrating achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm, nutcracker esophagus, oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy, reflux esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux, Barrett's esophagus, hiatal hernias, pharyngoesophageal diverticulum, and malignant tumors of the esophagus are included. The radionuclide esophagogram proved to be a useful procedure in the diagnosis and follow-up of many esophageal diseases.
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PMID:Radionuclide esophagogram. 643 18

We reviewed the radiographic findings in thirty patients with columnar-lined (Barrett's) esophageal mucosa. Gastroesophageal reflux was observed in 90%, hiatal hernia in 83%, stricture in 80% and esophageal ulceration in 33%. Superficial nodular mucosal changes were detected on 50% of the air contrast esophagrams. Prominence of this pattern may be associated with dysplastic or early malignant change. In addition, four conditions associated with secondary lower esophageal sphincter incompetence were identified in our patient group. These were scleroderma, previous myotomy for achalasia, previous gastric surgery and long-term indwelling nasogastric tubes.
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PMID:Barrett's esophagus: radiological and clinical considerations. 648 Jun 62

In geographic areas where there is a high risk of esophageal cancer, analysis of cells obtained from the esophagus has been used effectively to detect early lesions. This has been demonstrated on a large scale in studies from China. Using abrasive balloon cytology techniques, 75% of the cancers detected were early lesions, where the 5-year survival after resection was in the range of 90%. Endoscopic followup studies indicate that dysplastic changes in the esophageal mucosa are a common precursor to malignancy. In many cases, the time course from dysplasia to carcinoma in situ to early invasive cancer may take place over many years, allowing a reasonable amount of time for screening. In low-incidence areas, such as the United States, most esophageal cancers are related to the excessive use of tobacco and alcohol. These factors are too common and the incidence of the disease too low, however, to justify screening on this basis. There are smaller groups at higher risk where selective screening by endoscopy with cytology and biopsy is recommended, usually every 1 to 3 years. These include patients with longstanding achalasia, lye strictures, and Plummer- Vinson syndrome. Patients with cancers of the head and neck region and patients with celiac disease may also be considered to be at increased risk. Tylosis is a rare inherited disease with a very high risk of esophageal cancer. There is an increased incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus with Barrett's epithelium, and once identified such patients should be kept under endoscopic surveillance. The finding of severe dysplasia in any of these groups would indicate a shorter screening interval. Most patients with symptoms referable to the esophagus are first tested by barium esophagram. If negative, with persistent symptoms or if a suspicious lesion is identified, endoscopy with cytology and biopsy is recommended. Staging of the cancer is based on the size of the cancer both longitudinally and circumferentially and the presence of extraesophageal spread. At the present time, CT is the best noninvasive method for judging the extent of the cancer. Performance and nutritional status are also determinants of prognosis and should be considered in planning treatment.
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PMID:Screening diagnosis and staging of esophageal cancer. 672 90

Three patients who were 8 to 30 years status postmyotomy for achalasia were shown to develop Barrett's columnar metaplasia of the esophagus. In one instance, the patient had multiple areas of severe dysplasia to carcinoma in situ. There have been only a few reports in the world literature of Barrett's metaplasia occurring in postmyotomy achalasia patients. Our experience would indicate it may be a more common complication than previously appreciated. Also, a possible causal relationship between surgical intervention, Barrett's epithelium, and adenocarcinoma in achalasia is suggested.
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PMID:Barrett's metaplasia and dysplasia in postmyotomy achalasia patients. 684 1

Carcinoma of the esophagus is found more commonly in association with head and neck tumors, lye stricture, achalasia, and Barrett esophagus than in the general population. Our experience with these associated entities in a population of 680 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus is reviewed. Carcinoma of the esophagus has traditionally had a very poor prognosis which continues to the present. Routine periodic use of double contrast esophagography is advocated to screen populations containing these associated high-risk entities. This may ultimately increase survival through diagnosis of earlier stages of carcinoma of the esophagus.
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PMID:Esophageal carcinoma: a survey of populations at risk. 735 Jun 75

The esophagus is involved by a wide range of pathologic processes that can be detected, defined, and staged with computed tomography (CT). These processes include esophageal carcinoma; benign esophageal tumors; inflammatory and infectious diseases; miscellaneous conditions such as Barrett esophagus, achalasia, and varices; and trauma and perforation. CT is usually performed to clarify findings seen with other imaging modalities or to stage a pathologic condition; however, it may be the primary imaging modality in some cases. Because of the critical location of the esophagus, it can be involved secondarily by other disease processes or as part of a systemic process. By being aware of the appearances of the various entities that affect the esophagus, the radiologist can play an important role in detecting and staging esophageal disease. Although the role of CT in the evaluation of esophageal disease has been controversial, recent developments such as spiral CT have the potential to renew interest in this application.
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PMID:CT of the esophagus: spectrum of disease with emphasis on esophageal carcinoma. 750 54

Achalasia is characterized by failure of relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and absence of progressive peristalsis in the esophageal body. Few data are available regarding the morphologic features of achalasia, in particular its histologic progression. The esophagi of 42 patients with achalasia treated with total thoracic esophagectomy were examined histologically in order to systematically identify morphologic features of clinically unresponsive achalasia and to determine what could be learned about the disease's evolution. In all cases, myenteric ganglion cells within the esophageal body were markedly diminished, with 20 specimens having none. Twenty specimens had residual ganglion cells in the proximal esophagus, and 15 specimens had a few randomly distributed ganglion cells in the mid- and distal portions of the esophagus. Inflammation within myenteric nerves, present in all cases, generally consisted of a mixture of lymphocytes and eosinophils, occasionally with plasma and mast cells. Focal replacement of myenteric nerves by collagen occurred in all cases, and there was almost complete replacement in several cases. Actual destruction of the residual ganglion cells was not seen. The resected esophagi also shared extramyenteric morphologic features. Some features probably stemmed from physiologic obstruction, such as muscular hypertrophy, mainly of the muscularis propria (all cases), with secondary degeneration and fibrosis (29 cases), and eosinophilia of the muscularis propria (22 cases). Other changes, probably resulting from chronic stasis of ingested materials in the lumen, included diffuse squamous hyperplasia (all cases), lymphocytic mucosal esophagitis (28 cases), lymphocytic inflammation of the lamina propria and submucosa with prominent germinal centers (all cases), and submucosal periductal or glandular inflammation with complete loss of submucosal glands in half of the cases. One patient had high-grade squamous dysplasia, and another had superficially invasive squamous cell carcinoma. A third group of changes was probably due to previous esophagomyotomy, including abnormal gastroesophageal reflux, as shown by pH reflux testing (13 cases) and Barrett's mucosa (four cases). In one case of Barrett's there was low-grade dysplasia. Clinically unresponsive, surgically resected achalasia has almost total loss of ganglion cells, and widespread destruction of myenteric nerves has already occurred. The only active component is myenteric inflammation. However, it cannot be determined whether this inflammation is a manifestation of ongoing nerve destruction or whether it is a secondary phenomenon.
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PMID:Achalasia. A morphologic study of 42 resected specimens. 814 27


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