Esophageal Carcinomas With Adenoid Cystic Differentiation

Two cases of carcinoma of the esophagus with adenoid cystic differentiation are presented. The tumors differed from classical adenoid cystic carcinomas in two respects. The cribriform pattern characteristic of the latter was developed to a lesser degree within the esophageal neoplasms. They also manifested cytological atypism lacking within the classical adenoid cystic carcinomas. Whereas adenoid cystic tumors of the esophagus have been considered to originate from the esophageal glands, evidence is submitted for a surface origin in some instances. Esophageal carcinomas with adenoid cystic differentiation appear to occupy, pathologically, a station intermediate between frank squamous cell carcinoma and fully developed adenoid cystic carcinomas, with which they should not be equated. This intermediate situation is reflected in their clinical behavior, which is less aggressive than that of squamous cancer, but less indolent than that of true adenoid cystic carcinomas.