Esophageal perforation in a patient with metastatic breast cancer to esophagus

Esophageal metastasis from breast cancer is rare and can present after a long latency period. The middle and distal third of the esophagus are the most common sites and dysphagia (with or without stricture) is the most common presentation. Because of predominantly submucosal involvement, diagnosis is often difficult to establish until significant complications arise. We present the case of a patient with esophageal perforation due to dilatation treatments for dysphagia secondary to a distal stricture, later proven to be caused by esophageal metastasis from a breast cancer treated 19 years earlier.