Gastric Cancer Occurring in a Patient with Plummer-Vinson Syndrome: A case report

Abstract

Plummer-Vinson syndrome (sideropenic dysphagia) is characterized by dysphagia due to an upper esophageal or hypopharyngeal web in patients with chronic iron deficiency anemia. The main cause of dysphagia is the presence of the web in the cervical esophagus, and abnormal motility of the pharynx or esophagus is also found to play a significant role in this condition. This syndrome is thought to be precancerous because squamous cell carcinoma of hypopharynx, oral cavity or esophagus takes place in 10% of those patients suffering from this malady, but it is even more unusual that Plummer-Vinson syndrome should be accompanied by gastric cancer. We have reported here a case of a 43-year-old woman with Plummer-Vinson syndrome who developed stomach cancer and recovered after a radical total gastrectomy with D2 nodal dissection.

Accidentally Confirmed Relapse of Plummer-Vinson Syndrome during Esophageal Foreign Body Evaluation

“…It is often located below the cricoid cartilage of the upper esophagus, protruding into the esophageal lumen and blocking part of the lumen. 1,6 The incidence is about 1% of the total population and is found in 5~15% of dysphagia patients.…”

“…In a recent single-center study in India, cancer was found in the hypopharynx and central esophagus in six out of 132 patients (4.5%), with rare cases accompanying advanced gastric cancer. 4,6 In addition to preventing the recurrence of symptoms, continuous iron supplementation is required until the anemia is corrected in order to prevent the progression of the esophageal web to oral, pharyngeal, esophageal, and/or gastric cancer.…”

“…Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus or pharynx occurs in 5.2~16% of patients, and gastric cancer may coexist in rare cases. 3,4,6 Although the prevalence and etiology of PVS have not been clearly identified, IDA is hypothesized to play the most important role in the formation of the upper esophageal web that causes the dysphagia. 1,2,7 Treatment is designed to relieve symptoms, and can be easily accomplished with iron supplementation alone or combined with endoscopic gastrointestinal dilatation, depending on the degree of dysphagia.…”