Esophageal metastasis from a peripheral lung carcinoma masquerading as a primary esophageal tumor

A 65-year-old man presented with progressive dysphagia, which proved to be the first clinical manifestation of a peripheral lung carcinoma (secondary to a submucosal metastasis in the esophagus). The lung tumor, hidden by the diaphragm on chest x-ray, was not suspected until a thoracotomy was done. Although dysphagia is known to be the first manifestation of bronchogenic carcinomas, such presentation in a case of a peripheral lung carcinoma has not been well described. This case is reported with a review of the literature for cases with dysphagia secondary to a metastatic tumor in the esophagus.