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Esophageal cancer usually affects the elderly. Esophageal cancers can be either squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma is the most prevalent in the US and is associated with patients with chronic GERD who have developed Barrett's esophagus (intestinal metaplasia of esophageal mucosa). Squamous cell carcinoma is more prevalent ...
Sometimes, people with Barrett's esophagus have no heartburn symptoms at all. [citation needed] Some anecdotal evidence indicates those with the eating disorder bulimia are more likely to develop Barrett's esophagus because bulimia can cause severe acid reflux, and because purging also floods the esophagus with acid. However, a link between ...
Some physicians advocate either once-in-a-lifetime or 5- to 10-yearly endoscopy for people with longstanding GERD, to evaluate the possible presence of dysplasia or Barrett's esophagus. [45] Biopsies performed during gastroscopy may show: Edema and basal hyperplasia (nonspecific inflammatory changes) Lymphocytic inflammation (nonspecific)
Megaesophagus may be caused by any disease which causes the muscles of the esophagus to fail to properly propel food and liquid from the mouth into the stomach (that is, a failure of peristalsis). Food can become lodged in the flaccid esophagus, where it may decay, be regurgitated, or maybe inhaled into the lungs (leading to aspiration ...
Some patients have limited awareness of their dysphagia, so lack of the symptom does not exclude an underlying disease. [11] When dysphagia goes undiagnosed or untreated, patients are at a high risk of pulmonary aspiration and subsequent aspiration pneumonia secondary to food or liquids going the wrong way into the lungs.
People with Barrett's esophagus (a change in the cells lining the lower esophagus) are at much higher risk, [55] and may receive regular endoscopic screening for the early signs of cancer. [56] Because the benefit of screening for adenocarcinoma in people without symptoms is unclear, [2] it is not recommended in the United States. [1]
Diffuse esophageal spasm (DES), also known as distal esophageal spasm, is a condition characterized by uncoordinated contractions of the esophagus, which may cause difficulty swallowing or regurgitation. In some cases, it may cause symptoms such as chest pain, similar to heart disease. In many cases, the cause of DES remains unknown.
Causes of constipation may include faecal impaction and bowel obstruction, which may in turn be caused by ileus, intussusception, volvulus. Inflammatory bowel disease is a condition of unknown aetiology, classified as either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis , that can affect the intestines and other parts of the gastrointestinal tract.