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Esophageal Cancer pp 41–60Cite as

Pathology of Premalignant and Malignant Disease of the Esophagus

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Abstract

Like most structures of the alimentary canal, the esophagus is a tubular muscular structure that contains a mucosa, submucosa, muscularis propria, and surrounding connective tissue (termed adventitia in the esophagus). Anatomically, the esophagus extends from the cricopharyngeal muscle, which forms the upper esophageal sphincter, to the lower esophageal junction, where the stomach originates. Histologically, the mucosa consists of a stratified non-keratinizing squamous epithelium, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosae. The squamous epithelium sits atop a basement membrane that separates it from the lamina propria. The lamina propria is composed of loose fibroconnective tissue, lymphatic spaces, and capillary vessels. The muscularis mucosae is a thin muscular layer that separates the mucosa from the submucosa. The submucosa is composed of dense irregular fibrovascular connective tissue admixed with scattered mucin-producing glands (esophageal submucosal glands) and ducts, which aid in the passage of food.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, 1364 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Brian S. Robinson MD, PhD, N. Volkan Adsay MD & Alyssa M. Krasinskas MD

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  1. Brian S. Robinson MD, PhD
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  2. N. Volkan Adsay MD
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  3. Alyssa M. Krasinskas MD
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Correspondence to Brian S. Robinson MD, PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Nabil F. Saba

  2. Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Bassel F. El-Rayes

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Robinson, B.S., Adsay, N.V., Krasinskas, A.M. (2015). Pathology of Premalignant and Malignant Disease of the Esophagus. In: Saba, N., El-Rayes, B. (eds) Esophageal Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20068-2_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20068-2_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-20067-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-20068-2

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