Maxillary metastasis of esophageal cancer: report of the first case and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer (EC) is a common digestive system tumor, characterized by high invasion, apparent lethality, and poor prognosis. Direct diffusion is the major metastatic mechanism of early EC, whereas advanced EC is spread mainly by lymphatic metastasis, but also can be transferred to the liver, lungs, bones, and so on, by hematogenous metastasis. The incidence of bone metastasis in esophageal cancer is low, and maxillary metastasis of EC is more rare.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the differential diagnosis in ECMM, the rare metastasis of EC, and the possible mechanisms and predictors of bone metastasis.

METHODS: The clinical materials of an male patient with maxillary metastasis of esophageal cancer (ECMM) were analyzed. Then the possible mechanism of the ECMM was discussed.

CONCLUSION: ECMM may belongs to the hematogenous metastasis. The early detection of rare sites of metastasis of EC should be prioritized in tumor marker detection, imaging, pathology, and other diagnostic techniques.