Two cases of resected esophageal mucoepidermoid carcinoma

Two cases of resected esophageal mucoepidermoid carcinoma are described herein. Case 1, a 56-year-old man, had an ulcerous lesion of 6.5 cm in length, in the lower esophagus and a small skin tumor of 0.5 cm in diameter, in the forehead. Pathologic studies of both tumors revealed mucoepidermoid carcinoma. This case was therefore considered to be a primary tumor of the esophagus with skin metastasis. The patient was alive and well when last seen, 15 months after his operation. Case 2, a 66-year-old man, had a long ulcerous lesion of 9.0 cm in length, in the mid-thoracic and lower esophagus. The tumor had invaded the aorta and the membranous portion of the left main bronchus, and therefore complete resection was impossible. The patient died of mediastinal recurrence only 3 months after his operation in spite of postoperative irradiation. A review of the literature showed that this tumor has a much greater incidence of rapid recurrence and distant metastasis, regardless of treatment, than usual squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. In order to establish and accurate diagnosis of mucoepidermoid carcinoma, alcian blue and/or mucicarmin staining of the endoscopic biopsy specimen should be performed if the tumor contains both glandular and squamous cell carcinoma.