A CASE OF ESOPHAGEAL METASTASIS OF BREAST CANCER

Distant metastases of breast cancer rarely appear in the gastrointestinal tract paticularly in the esophagus. We report an esophageal metastasis of breast cancer in a 63-year-old woman who underwent modified radical mastectomy for breast carcinoma 8 years ago. The patient complained of passage disturbace and dysphasia. Esophagogram revealed a narrowing of cervical esophagus, and esophagoscopy showed a smooth identation usually covered with normal mucosa. Esophageal biopsy resulted in negative for carcinoma. Histologically a resected speciman showed adenocarcinoma and it was determined a metastasis of breast cancer. It was important to differenciate the metastasis from cicatricial stenosis, benign or malignant subumucosal tumor, because the metastatic lesion is usually covered with normal mucosa. Recurrent breast cancer should be considered for a patient presenting with esophageal narrowing who have a past history of breast cancer.