A case of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma metastasized to the colonic anastomotic site of right hemicolectomy

Abstract

Abstract Introduction/Objective Although squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus rarely metastasizes to the uncommon sites, colonic metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus is extremely rare. There has been no case report of colonic metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus to an anastomotic site of the colon. Methods/Case Report A 73-year-old female with a history of right hemicolectomy for advanced ascending colon cancer in 2006 was referred to our facility for a two-month history of solid food dysphagia. The patient has been followed up in the survivorship clinic for surveillance with no evidence of recurrence for 13 years to date. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a 7 cm fungating and ulcerated mass in the middle to lower esophagus. The biopsy from the esophageal mass showed a moderately to poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. A colonoscopy showed an end-to-end ileocolonic anastomosis with a 7 mm ulceration in the transverse colon. The biopsy from the ulceration at the anastomotic site showed a moderately to poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Immunostains performed on both esophageal and colonic biopsies demonstrate that the tumor cells in both esophageal and colonic biopsies are positive for p40, p63, p16, and negative for CK7, CK20, and CDX2. The diagnosis of metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to the colonic anastomotic site of previous right hemicolectomy was rendered based on the morphology and immunoprofile. A subsequent computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) demonstrated no other distant metastases. Chemotherapy with 5-FU and oxaliplatin has been started. A metastasis to the anastomotic site is extremely rare. Although the anastomotic site might be a good niche for cancer cells to metastasize to, the pathogenesis of a metastasis to the anastomotic site remains unknown. Our case is very intriguing because a metastasis occurred at the anastomosis site, and no other metastasis was found. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) N/A Conclusion We have reported the first case of metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to the colonic anastomotic site of previous right hemicolectomy in a 73-year-old female. Although the pathogenesis of a metastasis to the anastomotic site remains unknown, the possibility of contribution of surgical trauma to metastasis formation at the ileocolonic anastomosis cannot be completely ruled out.