Case one: A 61-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of coughing.
Adenocarcinoma of the lung was diagnosed. The patient was treated with bronchial artery infusion of
cisplatin and
mitomycin C, followed by irradiation; and there was a partial response. Eighteen months later he was admitted to the hospital because of
dysphagia. An esophageal
prosthesis was inserted because of
esophageal stenosis surrounded by local recurrent
tumor. After intubation, the patient was able to eat and was discharged. Although the patient died 5 months later, the tube was patent and functional until that time. Case two: A 63-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of coughing.
Adenocarcinoma of the lung was diagnosed. The patient was treated with 3 cycles of
chemotherapy consisting of
cisplatin,
vindesine, and mifomycin C, which were followed by irradiation; and there was a partial response. Six months later he was admitted to the hospital because of
dysphagia. An esophageal
prosthesis was inserted because of
esophageal stenosis surrounded by mediastinal lymph nodes. Although the patient was able to eat, bilateral
pleuritis and
mediastinitis developed and he died ten days after intubation. At autopsy the esophagus was found to have been perforated. Palliative intubation of an esophageal
prosthesis can be effective in patients with
esophageal stenosis due to
lung cancer, but care must be taken to prevent fatal complications.