Benign Epithelial Hyperplasia of the Esophagus: Glycogenic Acanthosis

Abstract

Among 364 esophagogastroscopies performed within 9 months glycogenic acanthosis of the esophagus was diagnosed in 24 cases. These fine whitish plaques of epithelial hyperplasia of the mucosa, which can be mistaken for leukoplacia when reaching a larger size, stain dark-blue with Lugol's solution. The squamous rounded epithelial cells are extremely rich in glycogen. The incidence in our material is 6.6%. In 62.5% of these cases endoscopic signs of cardiac incompetence were found and in 45.8% of refluxesophagitis, whereas the incidence of the latter was but 12.9% in the whole material. It seems amazing that this frequent but harmless lesion has not yet been given more attention. Considering the necessity to recognize early cancer, such small lesions should, as a matter of fact, not be overlooked. Biopsy material should be fixed in alcohol for histology.