[Peptic stenosis, motility disorder or carcinoma. What is ate the bottom of dysphagia?]

Dysphagia is the characteristic cardinal symptom of diseases of the esophagus. Etiologically, consideration must first be given to carcinoma of the esophagus. Among the cancers affecting this organ, adenocarcinoma of the distal part of the esophagus is the most common. The most important differential diagnosis in patients who have difficulty swallowing is peptic stricture of the distal esophagus arising from long-standing reflux disease. Further possible causes are motility disorders of the esophagus including, in particular, achalasia and--more rarely--diverticula, foreign bodies, membranes or rings, benign tumors or extraluminal processes.