Korean J Dermatol.  2020 May;58(4):269-272.

Cutaneous Metastasis Originating from Esophageal Carcinoma: A Case Report

• Hong SG
• Jo SY
• Jeong HH
• Jeong HP
• Lee HJ
• Heo EP
• Go JW

Abstract

Metastatic skin cancers are a relatively uncommon malignant tumor. Visceral tumors such as breast, lung, and colon cancers are commonly found to be the primary origin. Cutaneous metastasis with esophageal cancer is exceedingly rare, accounting for less than one percent of all skin metastasis. Here, we report a case of cutaneous metastatic squamous cell carcinoma that originated from esophageal carcinoma. The patient was a 48-year-old male who complained of a 2-cm-sized non-tender, skin-colored nodule on his left lower back. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) showed focal fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the lesion. In the histopathological examination, the tumor cells stained positive for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and cytokeratin 5/6 (CK5/6), which was consistent with squamous cell carcinoma. This case suggests that patients who have been treated for primary esophageal carcinoma should undergo a skin biopsy to rule out metastatic skin cancer if the tumor appears to be suspicious.

Keyword

Cutaneous metastasis; Esophageal carcinoma; Squamous cell carcinoma