Carcinoma of the esophagus: assessment of submucosal extent.

Submucosal extension of carcinoma of the esophagus is common, often presenting as a varicoid pattern on the esophagogram. Forty-two per cent of our 153 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus showed area(s) of a varicoid pattern in association with the other usual pattern(s) (fungating, ulcerating or infiltrating). A few of the patients have findings similar to those associated with esophageal varices on the esophagogram. Such patients are identical to those with "varicoid carcinoma" reported in the literature. The differentiation between varicoid carcinoma dn esophageal varices may be made on fluoroscopy, where the former is characterized by rigidity and the latter by flexibility.