[Ectopic sebaceous glands in the esophagus. Report of three cases]

Abstract

Sebaceous glands typically are located in the pilosebaceous unit located in the superficial layers of the skin. Thus, ectopic sebaceous glands in the esophagus are a very unusual condition. Since 1962 when De la Pava and Pickren described that sebaceous glands could be ectopically located in the esophagus, no more than 30 cases have been reported in the literature. Macroscopically, single or multiple nodular yellowish lesions are found, and most of the times are overlooked. In this paper, we describe 3 cases (2 female and one male) of ectopic sebaceous glands in the esophagus incidentally detected during routine upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopic examination. Histopathology diagnoses were supported using immunohistochemestry for AE1/AE3 citokeratins and epithelial membrane antigen.