食道原発の腺様囊胞癌―1剖検例

An Autopsy Case of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Esophagus

　腺様囊胞癌は，一般に唾液腺，気管，乳腺，皮膚等に見られるが，食道に発生することは極めて稀であり，著者らの知る限りでは本邦にはその報告例はない．われわれは食道原発と考えられる腺様囊胞癌の1例を経験し剖検により確認しえたので報告する．

　A man, 69 years of age, was admitted to our hospital because of hoarseness and dysphagia for the past four months. Clinical impression at that time was cancer of the esophagus. He died about one month thereafter and the autopsy was done.

　An illdefined ulcerative tumor was found in the middle portion of the esophagus, measuring 20 cm. along the long axis. Histological findings of the tumor were similar to those of adenoid cystic carcinoma usually seen in the salivary gland and some other organs. Metastasis wes seen in the liver and bilateral lungs.

　Primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the esophagus is a rare tumor and only 9 cases have been previously reported in the world literature.

　There are two main hypotheses about the histogenesis of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the esophagus: (1) intramural tracheobronchial remnants and (2) submucosal esophageal glands or ducts.

　Recent electron microscopical findings of the tumor suggest that adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland may originate from the myoepithelial cell. It seems possible that the tumor of the present case has originated from immature multipotential cell in the esophageal glands.