Patients diagnosed as having chronic chagasic esophagopathy were divided into three groups on the basis of radiologic findings: group I, no dilation; group II, moderate dilation, and group III, extensive dilation. Stasis esophagitis was more frequent in group III, with a significant increase in basal layer thickness when compared with groups I and II. The pathogenesis of basal layer hyperplasia may have been due to stasis of ingested food and to myenteric denervation of the viscera. This hyperplasia may be an intermediate condition explaining the higher frequency of cancer among patients with chagasic megaesophagus.