Visual change as the presenting symptom of a suspected metastatic brain lesion in esophageal cancer: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Esophageal cancer is the seventh most common malignancy worldwide and the sixth leading cause of cancer mortality with an overall survival rate of <20%. Esophageal cancer frequently metastasizes to distant lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and bones. Cerebral metastases originating from esophageal cancer are rare and often carry a poor prognosis as do most all metastatic lesions in esophageal cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we describe a 55-year-old patient with past history of esophageal carcinoma who presented with blurred vision after taking ethambutol for tuberculosis. Ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy was the lead diagnosis. Initial vision testing was normal so additional testing with visual field examination was warranted. The visual field examination revealed homonymous hemianopsia. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging of his brain, demonstrated a focal lesion, consistent with but not diagnostic of a brain metastasis likely from his primary esophageal malignancy. CONCLUSION: We conclude that a careful review of the medical history and comprehensive assessment are essential in establishing an obscure clinical diagnosis especially in the event that an uncommon metastatic lesion is encountered.