Coexistence of tracheobronchial foreign body and lung adenocarcinoma: a case report in an adult

The coexistence of tracheobronchial foreign body (TFB) aspiration with lung cancer is very rare in clinical conditions. However, TFB was often misdiagnosed as lung cancer. Here we reported a case of coexistence of TFB and lung adenocarcinoma. A 62-year-old Chinese man complained of cough for over one month. He had long-term history of chronic bronchitis and smoking. Chest CT showed an abnormal high-density shadow in the right middle bronchus of right lung. Fiber optic bronchoscopy revealed a bronchial stenosis by a coexistence of foreign body and local mucosa hyperemia. The foreign body was confirmed to be a chicken bone. Immunohistochemistry and mutation analysis confirmed the adenocarcinoma in the right lung. This is possibly the first reported case of a synchronous TFB and lung adenocarcinoma in Chinese adults. It is suggested that, in the management of TFB, a biopsy may be needed after the routine bronchoscopy examination in order to avoid the missed diagnosis of lung cancer.