Verrucous carcinoma diagnosed via surgical resection in a patient with recurrent esophageal obstruction: a rare case report with 12 year follow-up.

Verrucous carcinoma is an extremely rare subtype of esophageal cancer, with only approximately 60 previously reported cases. Its marked surface keratinization often makes a definitive endoscopic diagnosis challenging. We present a case of esophageal verrucous carcinoma that had been managed as refractory esophageal candidiasis for 12 years, with no definitive diagnosis despite repeated antifungal therapy and multiple biopsies. The lesion was ultimately treated by surgical resection, and the diagnosis of verrucous carcinoma was confirmed based on examination of the resected specimen. This case highlights the need to consider verrucous carcinoma as a differential diagnosis in patients with long-standing esophageal candidiasis.