Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Stomach: A Rare Case study

Abstract

Primary squamous cell carcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of the stomach. Limited knowledge is available regarding its clinical presentation, imaging features, tumor markers, and management of the condition. A 47-year-old male patient presented with abdominal pain and distension of 15 days duration. On clinical examination, a firm mass was palpable in the abdomen, which moved with respiration. On imaging, there was a large extraluminal mass in the lesser omentum arising from the posterior wall of the body and antro-pyloric regions of the stomach with encasement of the celiac trunk and left gastric artery. The preliminary radiological diagnosis was a malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). In contrast, the immunohistochemical diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma (immunopositive for P63 and cytokeratin). On PET-CT, the possibility of an unknown primary was ruled out. On review of the literature, the imaging findings of our case are similar to previous case reports on primary squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach with a few notable differences. It has a poor prognosis as the initial presentation is at an advanced stage, and no standard regimen of chemotherapeutic agents is available for successful treatment. Therefore, knowledge of clinical and radiological features of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach is vital for early diagnosis and successful treatment.