Esophageal achalasia associated with gastric carcinoma: lack of evidence for widespread plexus destruction.

Achalasia of the esophagus occurred in association with gastric carcinoma involving the cardia. Except in a limited area subjacent to the squamocolumnar junction, the pathologic findings were unusual in that the myenteric plexus of the body of the esophagus was intact and apparently uninvolved. The hypothesis is advanced that, in this instance, the achalasia could be classified as a tumour-associated funnctional disorder due to distant neural involvement rather than to local invasion with plexus destruction.