Bronchomediastinal fistula detected accidently during palliative radiation therapy

Abstract

Bronchomediastinal fistula is an extremely rare complication resulting from diseases such as mediastinitis or mediastinal malignancies. In patients with lung cancer, bronchomediastinal fistula formation has rarely been reported, except during postchemotherapy or post-radiation therapy complications. An 84-year-old visited our hospital to receive palliative radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the right main bronchus T4N2M1a. During an early course of radiation therapy, chest computed tomography (CT) scans revealed bronchomediastinal fistula between the right main bronchus and the enlarged sub-carinal lymph nodes. Radiation therapy was, therefore, discontinued and the patient received only supportive care.