Case Report
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Jan 26, 2024; 12(3): 630-636
Published online Jan 26, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i3.630
Rare esophageal carcinoma-primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the esophagus: A case report
Li-Dan Geng, Jie Li, Li Yuan, Xiao-Bo Du
Li-Dan Geng, Jie Li, Li Yuan, Xiao-Bo Du, Department of Oncology, Mianyang Central Hospital, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Geng LD contributed to manuscript writing and editing and data collection; Li J and Yuan L contributed to data analysis; Du XB contributed to conceptualization and supervision; All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. U2330122; and Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, No. 2022KFKT011.
Informed consent statement: The patient provided informed written consent prior to publication.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Xiao-Bo Du, MD, Chief Doctor, Department of Oncology, Mianyang Central Hospital, No. 12 Changjia Lane, Jingzhong Street, Fucheng District, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan Province, China. duxiaobo2005@126.com
Received: November 6, 2023
Peer-review started: November 6, 2023
First decision: November 22, 2023
Revised: December 3, 2023
Accepted: January 2, 2024
Article in press: January 2, 2024
Published online: January 26, 2024
Processing time: 72 Days and 19.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Esophageal adenoid cystic carcinoma (EACC) is an exceedingly rare malignant tumor of the esophagus, posing significant challenges in the clinic.

CASE SUMMARY

This report detailed the case of a 72-year-old male whose diagnosis of EACC was confirmed through postoperative histopathological examination. The patient underwent thoracoscopy-assisted radical resection of the esophageal tumor, coupled with lymph node dissection. Pathological findings revealed an adenoid cystic carcinoma infiltrating the entire layer of the muscularis propria, locally extending into the outer membrane of the esophageal fiber, involving the cardia and exhibiting no lymph node metastasis. The patient’s condition was classified as primary EACC, T3N0M0, per the American Joint Committee on Cancer (2017; 8th edition). One month after surgery, the patient received postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy.

CONCLUSION

In addressing the rarity and high potential for biopsy misdiagnosis of EACC, this study delved into its diagnostic methods and treatment.

Keywords: Esophageal adenoid cystic carcinoma; Malignant tumor; Lymph node dissection; Adjuvant radiation therapy; Misdiagnosis; Case report

Core Tip: This manuscript discussed the rarity of esophageal adenoid cystic carcinoma, a malignancy accounting for only 0.1% of esophageal cancers. The case report highlighted a 72-year-old male with dysphagia, initially misdiagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. The patient underwent radical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy. The discussion emphasized the challenges in diagnosing esophageal adenoid cystic carcinoma, its histological features, and controversies regarding its origin and prognosis. Limited data and a lack of standardized treatment protocols underscore the need for further research to determine optimal management and prognosis for this rare malignancy.