Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral Abscess

Background. Cerebral abscess is caused by inoculation of an organism into the brain parenchyma from a site distant from the central nervous system. Streptococcus intermedius (S. intermedius) is a commensal organism that is normally present in the aerodigestive tract and was reported to be the cause...

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Main Authors: Rabih Nayfe, Mustafa S. Ascha, Esther H. Rehmus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Pathology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/5819676
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author Rabih Nayfe
Mustafa S. Ascha
Esther H. Rehmus
author_facet Rabih Nayfe
Mustafa S. Ascha
Esther H. Rehmus
author_sort Rabih Nayfe
collection DOAJ
description Background. Cerebral abscess is caused by inoculation of an organism into the brain parenchyma from a site distant from the central nervous system. Streptococcus intermedius (S. intermedius) is a commensal organism that is normally present in the aerodigestive tract and was reported to be the cause of brain abscesses after esophageal dilatation or upper endoscopy. Case Presentation. We report the case of a 53-year-old female who presented with hematemesis and melena followed by left-sided weakness. Initially, her hemiplegia was found to be secondary to a right thalamic brain abscess caused by S. intermedius. Investigations led to the diagnosis of a mid-esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. We hypothesize that the cause of the abscess with this bacterium that naturally resides in the digestive tract and oral cavity is secondary to hematogenous spread from breach in the mucosal integrity from ulceration due to the cancer. Conclusion. To our knowledge, our case is the first in the literature to describe a brain abscess caused by S. intermedius in association with a previously undiagnosed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma without any prior esophageal intervention.
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spelling doaj-art-308c4132085a4c8ab4cb8d8a265f29ca2025-02-03T05:54:38ZengWileyCase Reports in Pathology2090-67812090-679X2017-01-01201710.1155/2017/58196765819676Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral AbscessRabih Nayfe0Mustafa S. Ascha1Esther H. Rehmus2Department of Geriatrics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USADepartment of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USAMcDowell Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, OH, USABackground. Cerebral abscess is caused by inoculation of an organism into the brain parenchyma from a site distant from the central nervous system. Streptococcus intermedius (S. intermedius) is a commensal organism that is normally present in the aerodigestive tract and was reported to be the cause of brain abscesses after esophageal dilatation or upper endoscopy. Case Presentation. We report the case of a 53-year-old female who presented with hematemesis and melena followed by left-sided weakness. Initially, her hemiplegia was found to be secondary to a right thalamic brain abscess caused by S. intermedius. Investigations led to the diagnosis of a mid-esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. We hypothesize that the cause of the abscess with this bacterium that naturally resides in the digestive tract and oral cavity is secondary to hematogenous spread from breach in the mucosal integrity from ulceration due to the cancer. Conclusion. To our knowledge, our case is the first in the literature to describe a brain abscess caused by S. intermedius in association with a previously undiagnosed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma without any prior esophageal intervention.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/5819676
spellingShingle Rabih Nayfe
Mustafa S. Ascha
Esther H. Rehmus
Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral Abscess
Case Reports in Pathology
title Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral Abscess
title_full Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral Abscess
title_fullStr Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral Abscess
title_full_unstemmed Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral Abscess
title_short Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral Abscess
title_sort esophageal squamous cell carcinoma presenting with streptococcus intermedius cerebral abscess
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/5819676
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AT mustafasascha esophagealsquamouscellcarcinomapresentingwithstreptococcusintermediuscerebralabscess
AT estherhrehmus esophagealsquamouscellcarcinomapresentingwithstreptococcusintermediuscerebralabscess