Abstract
A 68-year-old woman was hospitalized because of dysphagia and paralysis of bilateral lower extremities. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine showed metastatic tumor in the thoracic spines (Th) 10-12 and compression fracture in the Th11. Spinal decompression and fusion operation were performed. Endoscopic examination done for searching the primary region revealed a type 1 of esophageal tumor with marked esophageal stenosis. Histopathological examination of the spinal tumor showed the suspicion of adenoid cystic carcinoma, whereas histopathological diagnosis of the esophageal biopsy specimens was poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Thus, further immunohistochemical examinations were done for addressing the diagnostic inconsistency. Since cytokeratin 10 and α-SMA were negative and cytokeratin AE1/AE3 was positive, we reached the final diagnosis of basaloid squamous carcinoma of the esophagus. In case of basaloid squamous carcinoma, immmunostaining is considered as an essential method for differential diagnosis.
