Early adenoid cystic carcinoma of the upper oesophagus.

ABSTRACT

A 70-year-old male patient with an early stage primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the oesophagus is reported. The 1.5 cm protuberant tumour, located in the upper oesophagus and found during examination for heartburn, was radically resected. It was restricted to the submucosa, which strongly suggests that it originated from the oesophageal glands. Microscopically, the tumour showed sparse S100 cells. This finding is in contrast with that in adenoid cystic carcinomas of the salivary glands.