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Central nervous system lymphoma presenting as dysphagia
Digestive Diseases and Sciences
|February 1, 1982
Summary
Central nervous system lymphoma can cause dysphagia by affecting esophageal muscle control. Treatment of the neural lymphoma improved swallowing, indicating a neurological link.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Gastroenterology
- Oncology
Background:
- Lymphomatous involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) can present with varied symptoms.
- Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a common neurological symptom but rarely linked to CNS lymphoma without direct esophageal pathology.
Observation:
- Two patients with CNS lymphoma presented with dysphagia as their primary symptom.
- Diagnostic studies ruled out direct esophageal or structural involvement.
- Esophageal manometry revealed abnormalities in the striated muscle segment of the esophagus.
Findings:
- Central nervous system lymphoma can disrupt the neuromuscular control of esophageal function.
- Dysphagia in these cases was attributed to neurological deficits rather than direct esophageal disease.
- Improvement in dysphagia correlated with the treatment of the underlying CNS lymphoma.
Implications:
- This suggests a potential mechanism where CNS lymphoma impacts esophageal motility.
- Highlights the importance of considering neurological causes for unexplained dysphagia.
- Underscores the need for comprehensive neurological evaluation in patients with dysphagia and a history of lymphoma.