Dysphagia is progressive from solids to liquids and is present 2 to 4 months before patients seek medical attention. Other findings are odynophagia, anorexia, weight loss, and chest pain. Lobulated mass, large ulceration, and tortuous longitudinal filing defects are other less common appearances, corresponding to less common gross patterns of growth. Virtually all adenocarcinomas arise in a background of Barrett's mucosa. Scleroderma with its association of increased reflux esophagitis is associated with Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma.
Most esophageal adenocarcinomas are usually advanced at discovery.
Most patients present with dysplasia and weight loss. Other findings include upper GI bleeding, odinophagia and chest pain. Radiology Esophageal adenocarcinomas appear as infiltrating lesions with irregular modularity, ulceration and abrupt asymmetric borders. Advanced adenocarcinoma cannot be distinguished from advanced squamous cell carcinoma. Early lesions may be seen as small masses around areas of esophageal stricture due to esophagitis.