Cardiac metastasis after esophagogastrectomy for esophageal adenocarcinoma with an antemortem diagnosis.

ABSTRACT

Cardiac metastasis is uncommon and rarely diagnosed antemortem. Here, we describe a case of symptomatic cardiac metastasis from esophageal adenocarcinoma. A 64-year-old man developed chest symptoms 26 months after curative esophagogastrectomy for esophageal adenocarcinoma. Initially, ischemic cardiac disease was suspected based on electrocardiography findings, but an infiltrative tumor was seen morphologically in the wall of the interventricular septum and apex. No other lesions were detected. Histological examination of a transcatheter biopsy specimen indicated that the cardiac tumor was metastasis from esophageal adenocarcinoma. Chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin relieved his symptoms, and he had resumed normal activities. However, he opted not to undergo further aggressive treatment due to severe adverse effects from cisplatin. Seventeen months after completion of chemoradiotherapy, metastases to the right ventricle and the left thighbone were detected and he died 27 and 24 months after the diagnosis of cardiac metastasis and completion of chemoradiotherapy, respectively.