Four cases of esophageal metastasis from breast cancer

Abstract

The 4 patients with esophageal metastasis from breast cancer were women aged 55 to 68, who had multiple metastases and long term survival (9 to 13 years) from diagnosis of primary breast cancer. All of them presented with progressive dysphagia. Computed tomography revealed a circumferential wall thickening of the upper to middle esophagus without enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes or other lesions that would cause esophageal obstruction through external compression. Endoscopic examination revealed circumferential stricture without mucosal abnormality. In 3 cases, biopsy or EMR specimens revealed adenocarcinoma, which suggested metastasis of breast cancer resected previously. In the other case, biopsy failed to detect any malignancy. Metastatic cancer to the esophagus is a rare occurrence. We report these rare cases with references to the literature.