There are over 200,000 cases of brain metastases (BrM) every year, but very few are from esophageal cancer primaries. In order to determine predictors for outcome of these patients, the authors conducted a retrospective review of twenty-seven patients with BrM from esophageal carcinoma diagnosed at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation between 1991 and 2001. For the entire cohort, median follow-up and median survival was 3.6 months and 3.6 months, respectively. On univariate analysis, patients with Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≥ 70, low recursive partitioning analysis score, single BrM, no systemic disease, and aggressive treatment [surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) + whole brain radiation (WBRT), SRS + surgery + WBRT, surgery + WBRT)] had a significantly improved survival. In a multivariate model, patients with higher KPS and aggressive treatment had improved survival. The 1-year survival for the WBRT alone group and the aggressive treatment group was 6%, and 36% respectively. We conclude that based on the data presented here, patients with BrM from esophageal cancer have poor outcome. Aggressive treatment and favorable KPS are associated with longer survival for selected patients. We recommend esophageal cancer patients with BrM be enrolled in clinical trials to better delineate the role of treatment and potentially improve results.

Key words: Esophageal cancer, brain metastases, whole brain radiation therapy, radiosurgery.