1995 Volume 37 Issue 1 Pages 65-71
A 21-year-old man was admitted to our hospital hoping for the follow-up of gastric polyps. X-ray and endoscopic examinations revealed multiple polypoid lesions in the esophagus, and multiple polyps in the stomach and colon. Esophageal epithelial thickening was demonstrated in the esophageal polypoid lesions. Gastric and colonic hyperplastic polyps were confirmed histologically. Although typical skin findings were absent, Cowden's disease was strongly suggested by clinical features such as adenoid appearance, goiter, arteriovenous malformation and gingival papillomatosis. Cowden's disease is characterized by multiple hyperplastic or hamartomatous development originating from three embryonic germ layers in the whole body. Cowden's disease is frequently complicated with malignant tumors and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of various diseases with gastrointestinal polyposis.
