The association of carcinoma of the esophagus with achalasia

Abstract

Among 156 patients with achalasia who were treated during a 13 year period, two developed squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. The first, a 33-year-old man, developed a carcinoma of the upper third of the esophagus 2 years after the onset of symptoms of achalasia. He was treated by a Heller myotomy and radiation therapy and survived 16.7 months. The second, a 60-year-old man, had had symptoms of achalasia for 15 years. He is alive with suspected recurrence 6 months after undergoing esophagogastrectomy for a carcinoma of the middle and lower thirds. A summary of the literature regarding carcinoma complicating achalasia is presented. This indicates that carcinoma arises in at least 1 to 7 per cent of patients with achalasia. Delay in diagnosis is common. The treatment need not differ from that of carcinoma without a chalasia, but the prognosis is dismal. Since there is evidence that retention esophagitis is a premalignant condition, it should be possible to prevent the development of carcinoma in achalasia by early cardiomyotomy in cases in which hydrostatic dilatation is not completely effective. A plea is made for closer surveillance of patients with achalasia so that, if carcinoma supervenes, it may be detected at an early stage.