Malignant esophageal neoplasms are much more common than benign esophageal neoplasms, especially if the patient is symptomatic.
Pathology
- esophageal carcinoma (90%)
- esophageal neuroendocrine tumors (1%)
- esophageal lymphoma (rare; <1% of gastrointestinal lymphoma)
- esophageal leiomyosarcoma
- esophageal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)
- metastases (3% of patients with a primary malignancy)
- most commonly from direct invasion rather than hematogenous spread
