| Abstract: | A case of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the esophagus was reported. A 54-year-old male patient had a tumor in the middle third of the esophagus. Barium swallow and endoscopic examination showed a protruding tumor with a shallow ulceration in its vertex. Histological examination of the surgically removed material revealed that it was largely confined to the submucosal layer, with no metastasis to lymph nodes. The tumor cells presented three distinct patterns: globular nest with irregular cystic spaces, trabecular nest, and true tubule. Electron microscopic study revealed no microvilli or triad along cystic spaces in the globular nests. Histochemical study disclosed that cystic spaces and interstitium were rich in glycosaminoglycans. The luminal surface of the true tubules of the tumor, on the other hand, was characteristically lined by sialomucins. The trabecular type-nests differed from the globular nests in showing GSA-II reactivity and containing abundant retinol-binding protein. These results indicate that the three patterns represented different differentiations of the tumor cells. Twenty-three cases of esophageal adenoid cystic carcinoma were found in the literature from 1950 to 1983 and discussed collectively. |
