Synchronous triple squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus

BACKGROUND: Synchronous multiple primary malignancies of the esophagus and other organs are relatively unusual, but only five articles have published two synchronous cancers, both in the esophagus. This is the first published case of a triple esophageal carcinoma. CASE REPORT: A 43-year-old man was referred to our hospital with severe progressive dysphagia and epigastric pain for almost one year. Endoscopy and imaging exams revealed three tumors located in upper, middle and lower esophagus. The upper and middle esophageal cancers were irresectable, and the patient was treated with radio- and chemotherapy. He survived 11 months after the diagnosis and died due to severe undernutrition and bilateral pneumonia. CONCLUSION: In presence of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, propedeutics should be carefully performed in order to verify the occurrence of other synchronous tumors in the esophagus and other organs, mainly head and neck and bronchial regions.