A case of esophageal cancer metastasizing to the tongue

Of all the different types of metastatic malignant tumors of the oral and maxillofacial region, metastasis to the tongue from the esophagus is rare. Here, we report a case of esophageal cancer that metastasized to the tongue. A 59-year-old man who had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and was undergoing postoperative chemotherapy was referred to our department with a mass and pain on contact in the left side of the tongue one month previously. An elastic hard mass with a normal surface mucosa was found on the left side of the tongue. Histopathological analysis of a biopsy specimen taken from the lesion confirmed that it was a squamous cell carcinoma; no continuity was observed between the tumor and the mucosal epithelium, and the tumor was histopathologically similar to esophageal cancer. Resection of the tongue was performed because the eating disorder had a profound effect on the patient’s daily life. He was ultimately diagnosed as having a tongue metastasis from an esophageal primary cancer. Subsequently, mediastinal lymph node swelling was observed, and chemotherapy as well as radiation therapy were performed at the referring hospital, but he died one year after tongue resection. There was no recurrence of the tongue tumor, and oral ingestion and outpatient visits were possible up to two weeks prior to the patient’s death.