Lymph-node metastasis in surgical resection of intramucosal esophageal adenocarcinoma

Determination of the risk of lymph-node metastasis is crucial in making appropriate surgical or endoscopic resection therapeutic decisions. The actual number of patients with esophageal adenocarcinomas and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinomas remains relatively low in Japan; therefore, debate still exists as to whether or not intramucosal esophageal adenocarcinoma has a risk of lymph-node metastasis. We report herein a case of lymph-node metastasis in a surgical resection of an esophageal adenocarcinoma with muscularis mucosae invasion, but no lymphovascular involvement.