Verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus: surgical treatment for an often fatal disease.

Verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus is a very rare esophageal cancer, with only 12 cases reported in the literature. Although this cancer is slow growing and rarely metastasizes, it is associated with a significantly high mortality. Because of the disease's insidious onset and its rarity, diagnosis has often been late, after local invasion has produced significant symptoms. We present the thirteenth reported case of verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus and support resection as the best form of treatment for this disease.