Macmillan, Katherine

Submucosal lesions of the esophagus and stomach are commonly discovered as incidental findings during routine endoscopy. These lesions arise from varying layers of the gastrointestinal wall, primarily from the submucosa or the muscularis propria, and can range from benign to malignant. This review provides an overview of common submucosal lesions including gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), leiomyomas, duplication cysts, varices, glomus tumors, lipomas, granular cell tumors, neuroendocrine tumors, pancreatic rest, and schwannomas. We focus on their clinical presentation, endoscopic characteristics, radiologic features, and histopathologic findings to aid in diagnosis.