Esophageal cancer: an unusual endoscopic appearance and presentation

Esophageal cancer in advanced stages grows to occlude the esophageal lumen; presenting symptoms include dysphagia and weight loss. Esophageal cancer rarely grows to occupy a narrow column of the esophagus or manifests neurologic symptoms. We report the case of a 58-year-old man with a history of tobacco and alcohol abuse and chronic obstructive airway disease who presented with headaches, left-sided weakness, unsteady gait, and weight loss. Physical examination showed left-sided weakness. Computed tomographic scan of the brain and chest revealed, respectively, a right frontoparietal mass and a tumor mass in the distal esophagus. The patient's weakness and headaches improved after treatment with dexamethasone and craniotomy with partial enucleation of the brain lesion. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a large, elongated mass in the esophagus. Pathologic analyses of biopsies of the esophageal mass showed mixed adenosquamous carcinoma. The brain mass histology showed poorly differentiated carcinoma. Several weeks after craniotomy, the patient developed respiratory failure and died. While it appears that the esophageal cancer metastasized to the brain, there is the possibility of other undetected primary tumor with metastasis to the brain. Nonetheless, the endoscopic appearance and clinical presentation of this case are unusual and noteworthy.