Squamous cell carcinoma of a colon transplant 29 years after restorative esophagoplasty for caustic ingestion.

INTRODUCTION

We aim to report a case of squamous cell carcinoma 29 years following restorative colonic transplant in esophagoplasty for caustic ingestion and to emphasize the importance of long-term follow-up.

PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report a case of a 59-yo patient with malignant degeneration of colon transplant squamous cell 29 years following restorative esophagoplasty for caustic ingestion. He reported symptoms of progressively worsening dysphagia, odynophagia, and left cervical mass with fistula. The assessment revealed a squamous cell carcinoma of the colon graft without a distant lesion.

DISCUSSION: Esophagoplasty by colonic transplant is a widely used surgical technique for the treatment of benign or malignant lesions of the esophagus. The degeneration of colonic transplant is exceptional, most reportedly into adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is very rare and scarcely reported. Preoperative colonic segment assessment is mandatory. Follow-up includes essentially endoscopic evaluation, which allows both visual inspection and histologic evaluation of the transplant.

CONCLUSION

The risk of carcinogenesis in colonic transplants after esophagectomy is exceptional. The cases published in the literature are scarce. Although rare, this risk justifies a long-term follow-up of these patients by performing an annual upper GI endoscopy.