The treatment for each of this patient’s cancers was very different and required a multidisciplinary, staged approach for management. This could have been arranged for him had he wanted to pursue multiple resections of the neck and lung plus have chemotherapy and radiation for the esophageal cancer. The patient opted for chemotherapy for the most aggressive cancer, but other options would have been possible had he wanted to pursue them.
Conclusion
This complex case demonstrates the role for careful review of all data and the importance of not making assumptions when analyzing images and history despite all the procedures and time to diagnosis.
Author disclosures
The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest with regard to this article.
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Federal Practitioner, Frontline Medical Communications Inc., the U.S. Government, or any of its agencies. This article may discuss unlabeled or investigational use of certain drugs. Please review complete prescribing information for specific drugs or drug combinations—including indications, contraindications, warnings, and adverse effects—before administering pharmacologic therapy to patients.
