Verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus: a deceiving entity with an uncertain etiology – case report

Verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus is an extremely rare malignancy, described as a well-differentiated variant of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, typically exhibiting exophytic/verrucous growth and intraluminal involvement that is often rich in inflammation and hyperkeratosis, which hampers histologic diagnosis and consequently delays treatment. We report the case of a 58-year-old woman with progressive dysphagia and a circumferential, verrucous esophageal lesion, without histologic confirmation despite multiple biopsies and endoscopic resections, showing only focal p16 positivity. After further evaluation with CT, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and FDG-PET/CT, a presumptive diagnosis of locally advanced verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus was assumed, and palliative chemotherapy was initiated, followed by a sustained endoscopic and radiologic response. This case highlights the importance of multidisciplinary discussion when verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus is suspected and the unexpected, sustained response despite unresectability.