Abstract
Mucinous gastric carcinoma (MGC) is an unusual histologic subtype, and early detection of MGC is very rare. Early-stage MGC appears as an elevated lesion resembling a submucosal tumor (SMT) due to abundant mucin pools in the submucosa or mucosa. We report a rare case of SMT-like early-stage MGC. Tumor type was predicted preoperatively based on characteristic endoscopic findings, in which an SMT-like mass was observed at the gastric fundus. The tumor was covered by nearly normal mucosa, but with an opening allowing for the passage of copious mucus discharge. A total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy was subsequently performed. Histopathology of the tumor revealed early-stage (lamina propria) mucinous adenocarcinoma.
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![]() | Fig. 1.Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a submucosal tumor-like mass at the gastric fundus. The mass was covered by nearly normal mucosa, with an opening allowing for the passage of copious mucus discharge. |
![]() | Fig. 2.Radial endoscopic ultrasound findings. A 26×23 mm round, elevated, heterogenous and hyperechoic mass with multiple anechoic cystic spaces was observed. The lesion did not invade into the submucosal layer. |
![]() | Fig. 3.Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scan revealed a 25×23 mm polypoid intraluminal mass with heterogenous enhancement and partial mucosal irregularity at the gastric fundus. |