Submucosal tumor (SMT)-like esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with gastric metastasis

We present here a case of submucosal tumor-like esophageal cancer with meta stasis to the stomach. A 60-year-old man, whose ability to swallow was impa ired, was admitted to Kyorin University School of Medicine Hospital. Gastro intestinal endoscopy demonstrated a small bulging mass in the lower esophag us and a large submucosal mass in the gastric cardia. The gastric lesion wa s growing rapidly and becoming easily hemorrhagic. It appeared rich in bloo d now by angiography. Surgical treatment was adopted after a diagnosis of e sophageal cancer and a gastric submucosal tumor was made. However, in the e nd, the gastric mass was identified as a metastasis from the esophageal squ amous cell carcinoma. Moreover, the primary esophageal lesion displayed qui te a special type of histology, a so-called submucosal tumor-like pattern, which was covered by normal epithelium and grew mainly in the submucosal la yer of the esophagus. Gastric metastasis from esophageal cancer is relative ly rare, and it is quite rare that an esophageal squamous cell carcinoma gr ows as a submucosal tumor. Finally, the patient died of pneumonia and metas tasis to the liver on the 110th day of hospitalization. Intramural metastas is to the stomach from esophageal cancer should be treated in its advanced stage, and poor prognosis can be expected from aggressive treatment. It is necessary to recognize this complication so that appropriate therapy can be carried out on patients with esophageal cancer, and the situation needs to be carefully evaluated, including the stomach, both before and after treat ment.