Radiotherapy Induced Achalasia-like Esophageal Motor Disorder
Abstract
Achalasia is known as a neuromuscular disease caused by various reasons. A 59 year-old man was diagnosed with tongue base carcinoma. He underwent tumor excision and lymph node dissection. Due to the close surgical margin and muscle invasion, adjuvant chemoradiation was applied. Fifty Gray (Gy) radiation dose was prescribed to the neck lymph nodes and supraclavicular fossa; and 50 Gy radiation dose was applied to the surgical bed with an additional 10 Gy boost dose. One month after the end of the chemoradiation, the patient came with deglutition disorder. We performed an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and high-resolution manometric study. High amplitude simultaneous pressure waves which were typical for vigorous achalasia were seen on esophageal manometry. Care should be taken about the possiblity of some rare esophageal motility disorders after the chemoradiation therapy especially in the early period.
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