Three Cases of Esophageal Granular Cell Tumor

Abstract

Abstract: Although it has long been thought that granular cell tumor (GCT) is relatively uncommon in the esophagus, in recent years, reports of this disease have increased due to advances in endoscopic examination and endoscopic therapy. The authors recently experienced three cases of esophageal GCT, all of whom underwent endoscopic polypectomy. Endoscopic findings were consistent with Yamada's type I or II, the surface of the lesions being smooth and the color white or whitish‐yellow. These three cases were treated by endoscopic polypectomy. In case 1, the resection was made possible by raising the tumor with forceps under a 2‐channel‐scope. In case 2, the tumor was resectable following submucosal injection of physiological saline. In case 3, the tumor was resected via strangulation with a snare. The lesions described herein were diagnosed as benign and completely resected by polypectomy, though some showed differences in nuclear size or dyskaryosis. As numerous points remain to be clarified regarding the clinical characteristics of this tumor, and some tumors have been diagnosed as malignant despite being small, it appears that endoscopic polypectomy should be performed for the purpose of diagnosis as well as complete resection.