[Atypical metastases disclosing cancer of the esophagus. Apropos of 3 cases].

Bone metastases from cancer of the esophagus are believed to be uncommon. The authors report the cases of three patients in whom the secondary bone lesion revealed extensive yet asymptomatic epidermoid carcinoma of the esophagus. The first patient had osteolysis of the lower extremity of the right femur, while the other two had vertebral osteolysis. Bone metastases only exceptionally reveal cancer of the esophagus; usually they occur later in the course of the disease. Their prognosis is especially poor, with death occurring 3 to 6 months after their discovery. Digestive fiberoptic endoscopy is a requisite procedure in the investigation of cancerous bone lesions.