LYMPHOMA INVOLVING THE ESOPHAGUS

Fewer than 1% of all lymphomas involve the esophagus; however, lymphom a of the esophagus represents an important cause of dysphagia. This st udy reviewed all cases of biopsy-proven lymphoma involving the esophag us presenting at our institution between 1945 and 1999. Twenty-seven c ases were identified. Three were primary esophageal lymphomas. Eleven percent of the cases represented Hodgkin's disease. Eighty-nine percen t were non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Eighty-nine percent of the patients exp erienced dysphagia. Eleven lymphomas (41%) were located at the gastroe sophageal junction, while the other 17 were in the esophagus proper. S even of these cases occurred at relapse. Three had mediastinal adenopa thy with secondary esophageal involvement. Morbidity included tracheoe sophageal fistula in 22%, and surgical repair was performed in half of these cases. Vocal cord paralysis occurred in 22%, with minimal seque lae. Esophageal stricture was present in 30%, usually necessitating di lation. The presentation, diagnosis, and management of this problem ar e multidisciplinary.