Esophageal cancer presenting as a brain metastasis: A case report

Spallone,Aldo; Izzo,Chiara

doi:10.3892/ol.2013.1436

Esophageal cancer presenting as a brain metastasis: A case report

Authors:
- Aldo Spallone
- Chiara Izzo
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Affiliations: Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Neurological Centre of Latium (NCL), Rome I-00178, Italy
Published online on: July 3, 2013 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2013.1436
Pages: 722-724

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Abstract

Carcinoma of unknown primary origin (CUP) is defined as the histological diagnosis of metastasis without the detection of a primary tumor. The incidence of CUP in all patients with a malignant disease has been reported to be between 3 and 15%. Esophageal cancer is the third most common type of cancer of the digestive tract and the seventh most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The overall incidence of the disease is highest in males >50 years old. Brain metastases have been reported in only 1.7-3.6% of all patients with different types of esophageal cancer. Brain metastasis as the presenting form of esophageal carcinoma is highly uncommon. The present study reports the case of a patient with an unknown primary tumor who presented with a cerebral metastasis, without extra‑neurological symptoms. The CUP was subsequently diagnosed as an esophageal carcinoma.

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