Esophagobronchial Fistula in a Patient with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung: A Case Report

Abstract

A 73-year-old man was referred to our hospital after a 2-week history of bloody sputum and cough. Computed tomography (CT) images of the chest showed a mass grouped with mediastinal lymph nodes, and bronchoscopy showed a projecting mass in the right main bronchus. After a transbronchial biopsy, the patient was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (T4N2M0 stage IIIB). The patient was treated with systemic chemotherapy, consisting of cisplatin (40 mg/m2, days 1 and 8) and docetaxel (30 mg/m2, days 1 and 8), and concurrent thoracic irradiation at a daily dose of 2 Gy. On day 35 of treatment, the patient complained of a sore throat and cough. A CT of the chest showed punctate low-attenuation foci between the esophagus and bronchus. Gastrointestinal endoscopy and bronchoscopy demonstrated a fistula in the middle intrathoracic esophagus and the left main bronchus. The patient's symptoms gradually improved, and the fistula was closed after the suspension of chemoradiotherapy. Radiotherapy was resumed and completed on day 82. However, on day 108, he developed a fever and cough, and a tumor with fistula was revealed in the right main bronchus. He had an esophageal stent inserted, but he later died of sudden hemoptysis.