Endoscopic resection of two granular cell tumours of the oesophagus

Granular cell tumour of the oesophagus is rare and usually single. It is di agnosed by endoscopic appearance, results of endosonography, and histologic al examination of biopsy specimens. Although histological examination is re quired for diagnosis, it is difficult occasionally to obtain tumour samples by forceps because granular cell tumour is usually located in the submucos al layer. We report the case of a Japanese man with two granular cell tumou rs of the oesophagus, One lesion was diagnosed as a granular cell tumour by histological examination of a biopsy specimen, but the other was not. Endo scopic resection was performed to obtain the diagnosis and treat the lesion s since some granular cell tumours are potentially malignant. Both tumours were completely resected endoscopically, and the diagnosis of granular cell tumour could be established by histological examination of resected tissue . Endoscopic resection is thus useful in the diagnosis and treatment of gra nular cell tumour of the oesophagus. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 11:1413-14 16 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.