Superficial carcinoma of the esophagus coexisting with esophageal leiomyoma: a case report and review of the Japanese literature.

A case of superficial spreading squamous cell carcinoma located just over a leiomyoma is presented. The patient complained of slight dysphagia and an esophagogram showed an elevated tumor in the middle thoracic esophagus. Esophagoscopy revealed an ulcerative mucosal lesion over the elevated lesion and biopsy showed that the lesion was a squamous cell carcinoma. Blunt dissection of the esophagus with esophago-gastro-anastomosis was performed. There was neither lymph vessel invasion nor lymph node metastasis. His post-operative recovery was satisfactory and he is doing well two years after the operation. A review of the Japanese and English literature revealed that a few cases of esophageal carcinoma coexisting with esophageal leiomyoma have been reported. There was no report of superficial esophageal carcinoma coexisting with esophageal leiomyoma. This is the first report of the coexistence of these two lesions, and esophagoscopy is necessary to find a superficial esophageal carcinoma coexisting with esophageal leiomyoma.