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Case Report
Skin metastases from esophageal and esophagogastric
junction cancer
1Department of Surgery, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 2Department of Surgery, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Key words
esophageal cancer, metastases, skin
J Gastrointest Oncol 2011; 2: 104-105. DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2011.007
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Introduction
A large proportion of esophageal cancers present initially in an advanced stage (1). Extra-nodal metastases are seen in 20% of the patients (2,3), the liver and lungs are the more common places (2,3). Cutaneous metastases (CM) are rarely reported (4-12).
We report two cases of skin metastases from esophageal
cancer.
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Case report
Case 1
A 68-year-old male patient presented with dysphagia for 3
months. Upper endoscopy and computerized tomography
disclosed a mid-thoracic esophageal squamous cel l
carcinoma with extension to the airway rendering the
tumor inoperable. No extra-nodal metastasis was noticed.
The patient presented concomitantly with two red nonpainful
fast-growing nodules with ulceration in the nose and
neck (Fig 1). Biopsy disclosed a squamous cell carcinoma
considered a metastasis due to the atypical and rapid grow
for a primary skin lesion since histology cannot differentiate both conditions. The patient was sent to oncologic clinical
treatment.
Case 2
A 73- year-old male patient presented with skin lesion 2
years after a total gastrectomy and distal esophagectomy
for esophagogastric junction cancer followed by adjuvant
chemotherapy (T3N1M0). Physical examination revealed
an extensive area of the abdomen covered by red plaques
(Fig 2). Biopsy disclosed an adenocarcinoma. No other site
of recurrence was detected. Patient was referred to clinical
oncologic treatment.
Figure 1 Cutaneous metastases from an esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Figure 2 Cutaneous metastases from an esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma
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Discussion
The skin is an uncommon site of metastases. CM was
found in only 10% of a large series with over 4000
cases of metastatic cancer (4). Skin metastases from
esophageal cancer affect less than 1% of the cases (9,13).
It may or ig inate f rom squamous cel l ca rcinoma as
well as from adenocarcinoma (4-12). Skin metastases
from esophagogastric junction tumors with similar
characteristics to gastric cancer have also been described
(7) as for that matter skin metastases from gastric tumors
have also been rarely reported (9,14,15). A myriad of
presentations may be seen, however, nodules are the most
common form (5,8,10). Any location in the body may be
affected (4).
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References
Cite this article as:
Herbella F, Patti M, Takassi G. Skin metastases from esophageal and esophagogastric
junction cancer. J Gastrointest Oncol. 2011;2(2):104-105. DOI:10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2011.007
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