Report of a Case of Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the Esophagus

: We report a very rare case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the esophagus. The patient was a 47-year-old man with a tumor of the submucosal type, associated with erosion on its top in the mid-esophagus, detected by esophagoscopy. The lesion was stained with 3% iodine solution, but the site of the erosion was not. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a hypo-echogenic tumor located mainly in the submucosal layer, preserving the muscle coat intact. Distal esophagectomy with esophago-gastrostomy was performed via the retrosternal route. Microscopic study revealed the lesion to be compatible with a mucoepidermoid cancer (O-l sep type, sm massive invasion, Iy2, v0, n3 (+) based on the classification of the Japanese Society of Esophageal Diseases). The diagnosis of MEC is very difficult, because this lesion grows and develops like a submucosal tumor. Considering this feature of MEC, endoscopic ultrasonography must be carried out for small submucosal tumors of the esophagus in order to detect MEC. Clarification of the endoscopic ultrasonographic characteristics of MEC is eagerly awaited.