Esophageal Mesenchymal Tumors: Endoscopy, Pathology And Immunohistochemistry

Backgroud: Traditionary, the gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors (GIMTs) have been almost uniformly classified as gastrointestinal leiomymas (LMs).However,recent evidence indicates that the most mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract are referred to as gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Whether there are the same stromal tumors at esophagus, whether stromal tumors are the most mesenchymal tumors of esophagus, are the questions the clinical doctors concered. It is difficult to differentiate esophageal GISTs and LMs because their similar apearance, and GISTs frequently have malignant potential, so it is important to diferentiate esophageal GISTs and LMs . Electric endoscopy can find esophageal submucosal tumors(SMTs), but it is limited to the the diagnosis. EUS(endoscopic ultrasonography) can obtain the limpid image of diseases extent,original layer,and ambient organ, and can differentiate the esophageal mesenchymal tumors from other SMTs, but EUS cannot differentiate esophageal GISTs and LMs because their similar EUS image. In recent years, some reseachers have applied immunohistochemical method that have high value: the expressions of CD117are positive in GISTs despite of their cell morphous; LMs are all positive for SMA and Demin and negtive for CD117 and CD34 regardless of their benign or malignancy.Objective: To sdudy the clinical, endoscopic ,pathological and immunohistochemical features of esophageal mesenchymal tumors, and help to the clinical and pathological diagnosis of these tumors .Methods: Patients diagnosed as esophageal mysenchymal tumors by electric endoscopy and EUS were biopsied deeply. The specimens obtained by biopsy,...