[A basal cell carcinoma of the esophagus--a case report]

Reported is the case of a 58-year-old male who visited our hospital with the chief complaint of anorexia. Diagnosed as having an esophageal cancer, a subtotal esophagectomy was performed including the dissection of the tumor. According to the surgical findings, the tumor was not exposed to the tunica externa and no lymph node metastasis or infiltration to the pleura or a metastasis to the lung or liver was note. On histopathological examination a basal cell carcinoma of esophagus was determined but no squamous epithelium was seen. The carcinoma was the muscular propria, and neither infiltration into the epithelium nor invasion into the vessels was noted. The postoperative progress appeared good, however seven months later the patient died from multiple hepatic metastasis.