Primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the esophagus: report of a case.

A case of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the esophagus is reported. A 51-year-old male patient had a tumor in the lower third of the esophagus which was incidentally found during an examination for cholelithiasis, and resected successfully. The tumor exhibited a polypoid appearance covered by normal esophageal epithelium, localized entirely in the submucosal layer, and morphologically identical to adenoid cystic carcinoma in the salivary glands. The patient is still alive and well three and one-half years after surgery. This seems to be a typical case of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the esophagus arising from the submucosal esophageal gland.