Colonic metastasis after resection of primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: report of a case

摘要

Colonic metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is extremely rare. A 77-year-old male patient was diagnosed with primary middle thoracic esophageal carcinoma and subsequently underwent subtotal esophagectomy. The pathological TNM classification was SCC of the esophagus, T3N1M0 stage IIIA. Twenty months later, he underwent emergency surgery due to acute abdomen. Exploratory laparotomy revealed diffuse peritonitis, as well as increased wall thickness and a pinhole perforation at the hepatic flexure of the transverse colon. He underwent right hemicolectomy, and pathological investigation demonstrated metastatic SCC of the colon from the esophageal carcinoma. The postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged 14 days after surgery. However, computed tomography scans performed 2 weeks after discharge showed carcinomatous peritonitis. The patient declined chemotherapy and died 2 months later.