Synchronous esophageal and renal cell carcinoma

Multiple cancer associated with esophageal cancer is not uncommon; however, synchronous esophageal and renal cell carcinoma is very rare. Only three cases have been reported to date, and one of these patients was treated in our institution. We have since successfully treated another patient. Here, we report the two cases treated in our institution. In the first case, esophagectomy, nephrectomy, and reconstruction using a gastric tube were carried out in one stage. Post-operative renal function was temporarily impaired by the complications of anastomotic leakage and pyothorax but no hemodialysis was needed. In the second case, as the patient had undergone distal gastrectomy because of gastric cancer, we chose a two-stage operation, i.e. esophagectomy and nephrectomy as the first stage, followed by reconstruction using a colon substitute after 4 weeks, resulting in only slight renal dysfunction. Patients 1 and 2 are alive and well 7 years and 2 years after the operations respectively.