Canine Esophageal Neoplasms Esophageal | Neoplasms in Dogs
Primary esophageal sarcomas in dogs are often due to Spirocerca lupi. Primary esophageal carcinomas are of unknown etiology in dogs and cats. Leiomyomas are found at the lower esophageal sphincter in older dogs. Thyroid carcinomas and pulmonary alveolar carcinomas may invade the esophagus in dogs. Squamous cell carcinomas are the most common esophageal neoplasm in cats.
Dogs and cats with primary esophageal tumors may be asymptomatic until the tumor is far advanced, and these animals are diagnosed fortuitously when thoracic radiographs are obtained for other reasons. Regurgitation, anorexia, and/or fetid breath may occur if the tumor is large or causes esophageal dysfunction. If the esophagus is involved secondarily, clinical signs may result from esophageal dysfunction or tumor effects on other tissues.
Plain thoracic radiographs may reveal a soft tissue density in the caudal lung fields. These tumors may be difficult to radiographically discern from pulmonary lesions and usually require contrast esophagrams to make this distinction. Esophagoscopy easily finds intraluminal and intramural masses or strictures and is sensitive in finding extraluminal masses causing esophageal stricture (i.e., the endoscopist will not be able to normally distend the esophageal lumen). Retroflexing the tip of an endoscope while it is within the stomach is the best method of identifying lower esophageal sphicter leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas in dogs and cats.
Not much a clinician can do for treatment of esophageal neoplasms in dogs and cats. Surgical resection is rarely curative (except for leiomyomas at the lower esophageal sphincter) because of the advanced nature of most esophageal neoplasms when they are diagnosed. Resection may be palliative though. Photodynamic therapy may be beneficial in dogs and cats with small superficial esophageal neoplasms. For all those reasons, the pronostic for dogs and cats with esophageal neoplasms is usually poor unfortunately.
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