Granular cell myoblastoma of the esophagus. Report of two cases.

Granular cell myoblastoma (GCM) of the esophagus is a rare, usually benign tumor, most often discovered incidentally during upper endoscopy, surgery, or autopsy. Although some reports have questioned the safety of endoscopic biopsy of granular cell tumors of the esophagus, we feel that the procedure can be performed safely and accurately. For the unwary, histological examination may lead to a misdiagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. Although some reports of malignant esophageal tumors can be found, in general, if the histologic appearance of the tumor is benign, malignant transformation or metastasis is unusual. Surgical resection for malignant and for large symptomatic benign tumors is the treatment of choice. In, however, individuals with histologically benign tumors. who are asymptomatic or who are not considered good surgical candidates, careful observation with endoscopic follow-up can be safely done.