Primary Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus Simulating a Benign Lesion

Primary adenocarcinoma of the esophagus is an uncommon finding. In a series of 89 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus recently reported,1there occurred only one primary adenocarcinoma, the remainder of the lesions being squamous cell neoplasms. Garlock,2whose experience with this type of lesion has been considerable, has seen but three primary adenocarcinomas of the esophagus. Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus occurs invariably as a secondary extension of a gastric lesion by contiguous spread from the cardia. When adenocarcinoma of the esophagus is primary, the malignant development takes place in submucosal esophageal glands or in heterotopic gastric glands that may be present in the esophagus. The following report is of a primary adenocarcinoma of the esophagus presenting the appearance of a benign submucosal lesion on x-ray examination. The diagnosis of a malignant neoplasm was made only after histopathological examination of tissue obtained by esophagoscopy.