Yolburun SB, Gunizi OC, Elpek GO. Insights from literature of esophageal mucoepidermoid carcinoma in a female: A rare case report. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(30): 110475 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i30.110475]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Gulsum Ozlem Elpek, Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University, School of Medicine, Dumlupinar Bulvarı, Antalya 07070, Türkiye. elpek@akdeniz.edu.tr
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Saltuk Bugra Yolburun, Ozlem Ceren Gunizi, Gulsum Ozlem Elpek, Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University, School of Medicine, Antalya 07070, Türkiye
Co-first authors: Saltuk Bugra Yolburun and Ozlem Ceren Gunizi.
Author contributions: Yolburun SB was responsible for the writing and editing of the manuscript as well as the collection of data; Gunizi OC and Elpek GO played significant roles in the data analysis process; Elpek GO contributed to the conceptual framework and provided supervision throughout the study; All authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for anonymized publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Gulsum Ozlem Elpek, Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University, School of Medicine, Dumlupinar Bulvarı, Antalya 07070, Türkiye. elpek@akdeniz.edu.tr
Received: June 9, 2025 Revised: July 8, 2025 Accepted: August 25, 2025 Published online: October 26, 2025 Processing time: 126 Days and 19.6 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
This case report enhances the medical literature by presenting a rare instance of primary esophageal mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), highlighting its unique histological features and the challenges in diagnosis that can arise due to its similarities with other esophageal cancers.
CASE SUMMARY
A 58-year-old female presented with dysphagia and was initially misdiagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. Upon further evaluation, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a 1.5 cm lesion in the distal esophagus. The patient underwent partial esophagectomy, and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of primary esophageal MEC with no lymph node metastasis. The patient has been under observation for 5 months post-surgery without adjuvant therapy.
CONCLUSION
Awareness of MEC is essential for accurate diagnosis and management due to its rarity and potential for misdiagnosis.
Core Tip: Primary esophageal mucoepidermoid carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy distinguished by its unique mixture of epidermoid, intermediate, and mucous cells. Due to its similarities with squamous cell carcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma, it is frequently misdiagnosed, leading to challenges in clinical management. This case emphasizes the need for stricter diagnostic procedures, such as immunohistochemical analyses, and greater awareness in order to guarantee an accurate diagnosis. To improve patient care and establish efficient management plans for this uncommon tumor, additional research and cooperative efforts are desperately needed, as evidenced by the absence of established treatment guidelines.
