Resection of Adrenal Metastasis from Esophageal Cancer: A Case Report

Satoshi Hata, Sadao Amano, Kenichi Sakurai, Hiroshi Fujii, Eichi Paku, Hisao Kano, Naotsugu Oida, Hiroshi Miyake, Masahiro Fukuzawa and Masahiko Sugitani^*

First Department of Surgery, Department of Pathology^*, Nihon University School of Medicine

A case of resected adrenal metastasis of esophageal cancer is reported. A 67-year-old male underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Macroscopic examination of the resected specimen showed a type-2 advanced esophageal cancer, 13 cm in diameter, located in Mt-Lt. Histological examination disclosed poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, pT3N2M0→Stage III. Eight months later, hematological examination showed a high serum SCC level, and computed tomography disclosed an abnormal low density mass, 5.5 cm in diameter, in the left adrenal gland, suggesting metastasis of esophageal cancer. Since no metastases could be identified in other organs, left adrenalectomy was performed. The resected specimen showed an elastic hard tumor, measuring 6.5×5.5×4.0 cm, with a white and solid cut surface. Histological examination revealed the same findings as in the esophageal cancer. The patient is currently doing well with no signs of recurrence 14 months after adrenalectomy. To our knowledge, only one previous report of successful resection of postoperative adrenal metastasis of esophageal cancer has been documented in the literature.

Key words
esophageal cancer, adrenal metastasis, adrenalectomy

Reprint requests
Satoshi Hata First Department of Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine30-1 Oyaguchi kamimachi, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-8610 JAPAN

Accepted
February 23, 2000

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