A case of multiple oral cancer whose life was prolonged by radiotherapy with cetuximab for trachea invasion due to metastasis of the upper mediastinal lymph node: a case report

Abstract

We report a case of multiple oral cancer whose life was prolonged by radiotherapy with cetuximab for trachea invasion due to metastasis of the upper mediastinal lymph node.
A 79-year-old woman with a history of several times of oral cancer and cervical lymph node metastasis was referred to our department for the complaint of hoarseness and hemoptysis. Computed tomographic imaging revealed trachea invasion due to metastasis of the right upper mediastinal lymph node. Chemotherapy (Cisplatin+5-FU+cetuximab) was considered at first. However, in consideration of the advanced age and severe adverse reactions, radiotherapy with cetuximab was performed eventually. The patient showed no signs of recurrence or metastasis during nine months of follow-up. However, the patient developed right lung metastatis at ten months and eventually died due to respiratory failure fourteen months after treatment initiation.