Abstract

Abstract Background Brain metastases (BM) from esophageal cancer (EC) are rare. Despite of an advance of treatments for the patients with BM from EC, life expectancy and quality of life of these patients are still poor. We present an overview of the patients with BM from EC at a single institute. Methods We retrospectively identified 10 patients with BM from EC treated with surgery, radiation, or a combination of multidisciplinary therapies at Osaka National Hospital between 2003 and 2017 for stages IIb through IV of primary EC (follow-up, > 157 days). Medical records were reviewed to collect demographic and clinical information. Results Median age at diagnosis of BM was 63.5 years (range, 53–79 years). 9 patients were male, and 7 patients had squamous cell carcinoma of EC at the primary esophageal resection. Median overall survival from the commencements of therapy for BM was 156 days (range, 17–5404 days). The interval between the primary esophagectomy and the start of therapy for BM from EC was 298 days (range, 64–860 days). The average score of Karnofsky performance status (KPS) just before a diagnosis of BM was 75 (range, 50–90). On univariate analysis, the patients with the lower score of KPS (P = 0.01) or the shorter interval between the primary esophageal surgery and the start of therapy for BM (P = 0.06) were found to have worsened survival after the therapy for BM from EC. Conclusion The patients who had a poor KPS just before a diagnosis of BM, or the shorter interval between the esophagectomy for the primary EC and the start of therapy for BM, had poor prognosis. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

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