Clinical study of synchronous double cancers of the lung and digestive tract]

Among 64 cases of surgically resected primary lung cancer from 1991 to 1997, there were 5 cases of synchronous double cancers of the lung and digestive tract. They were consisted of 4 males and 1 female and the patient age at the time of the lung resection ranged from 65 to 81 years (average: 74.6). One male was diagnosed as having lung cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) along with sigmoid colon cancer (adenocarcinoma) and others were lung cancer (adenocarcinoma) and gastric cancer (adenocarcinoma). In two patients with early gastric cancer, lobectomies were performed following endoscopic resection of gastric cancer. In three patients including two old man and woman (over 80 years old), lobectomies and gastrectomies (or sigmoidectomy) were performed at the same time. We omitted mediastinal lymph nodes dissections in two old patients and no operative complications occurred. All patients are alive now. It can be concluded that in cases of synchronous double cancers of the lung and digestive tract, we must select the best treatment that is not invasive for the patient and that simultaneous operation for double cancer can be safely performed.