Case Report: Small bowel metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a case series and systematic review of clinical characteristics, tropism, and survival outcomes.

Authors

Mingyu Zhou, Yunjun Liu, Huifang Huang, Xia Chen, Qiwen Huang, Shaowei Huang, Zhichao Yan, Yuyin Chen, Junming Lin, Jiayi Huang, Guankao Xie, Yating Hou, Yisheng Huang

Published in

Frontiers in immunology. Volume 17. Pages 1891441. Epub Aug 31, 2026.

Abstract

Small bowel metastasis from primary esophageal carcinoma is a rare occurrence, typically indicative of advanced disease and often presenting with non-specific abdominal symptoms. Failure to consider this possibility in the differential diagnosis may lead to delayed or incorrect management. This article reports the case of a 60-year-old male with small bowel metastasis originating from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. To better characterize this clinical entity, we also conducted a systematic review of 23 documented cases, analyzing their clinicopathological features, diagnostic approaches, treatment modalities, and prognostic outcomes.
A 60-year-old man presented with small bowel obstruction, ultimately diagnosed as metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Surgical resection was followed by combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy, yielding a partial response.
We reviewed 23 published cases, highlighting a strong male predominance (82.6%), jejunal predilection, and a median survival of only 6 months post-diagnosis. Small bowel metastasis from esophageal carcinoma, though uncommon, represents a challenging clinical scenario often mimicking more common abdominal pathologies. Histopathological confirmation is essential for accurate diagnosis. Early detection and a multidisciplinary treatment approach may correlate with favorable survival trends in these advanced-stage patients.
Small bowel metastasis should be considered in esophageal cancer patients with acute abdominal symptoms. Histopathological confirmation is crucial, and a multimodal approach may be associated with extended survival trends in selected patients.

PMID:
42741216
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Sep 2026.

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