Aortitis as a Harbinger of Occult Malignancy

Non-infectious diseases of the aorta and large arteries

This article describes the various forms of inflammatory lesions of the aorta and large arteries, including chronic periaortitis, as well as the diagnostic methods are considered. Large vessel vasculitis represent the most common entities, however, there is also an association with other rheumatological or inflammatory diseases, drug-induced or paraneoplastic entities. Instrumental imaging modalities play an important role in the diagnosis.

Aortitis as a Harbinger of Esophageal Cancer

Aortitis is a rare diagnosis that requires a high index of suspicion due to nonspecific symptoms and its multiplicity of etiologies.

An 80-year-old man, independent in activities of daily living (ADLs), had three consecutive hospitalizations in three months for fever, general malaise, anorexia associated with arthritis of the hands and feet with the inability to walk. Inflammatory markers were increased without a focus of infection identified. Upper digestive endoscopy (UDE), colonoscopy, blood cultures, thoracoabdominal-pelvic CT and transthoracic (TT) echocardiogram were performed without changes, with discharge for consultation after demonstrating apyrexia. At the patient second hospitalization for fever and arthritis, a transesophageal echocardiogram was performed that showed the presence of multiple complex atherosclerotic plaques, with associated thrombi in all segments of the aorta with a suspicious mass of vegetation on the aorta. Thoracic-abdominopelvic CT demonstrated calcified atheromatosis of the entire aorta with para-aortic nodes; MRI showed aortic thickening; and autoimmunity study was negative. Aortitis was the working diagnosis of possible infectious etiology and anticoagulation and antibiotic therapy were started. Fever recurred and a third admission led to a working diagnosis of inflammatory, non-infectious aortitis. The patient responded well to empiric corticosteroids.

The patient followed up in consultation, remained asymptomatic under a low dose of corticosteroids with negative temporal artery biopsy. In the sixth month, he repeated UDE due to dysphagia, which showed the presence of esophageal neoformation with the histological diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma, maintaining on the CT as alterations in the aorta.

This is an unusual case of aortitis associated with arthritis with improvement after corticosteroids, which interestingly occurred before the progression of esophageal cancer. In hindsight, we think this may have been a large vessel paraneoplastic vasculitis that preceded the detection of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.