Double cancers of the lung and esophagus associated with a sarcoid-like reaction in their regional lymph nodes: report of a case.

A case of double cancers of the lung and esophagus associated with a sarcoid-like reaction in their regional lymph nodes is reported. A 73-year-old man with hemosputum was found to have a mass in his right lower lung field on a chest X-ray. Based on a diagnosis of lung cancer, a right middle and lower lobectomy with a dissection of the lymph nodes was performed. Microscopically, a well developed granulomatous reaction was seen in the dissected mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. Three years after the pulmonary resection, he was admitted to our hospital because of dysphagia. A diagnosis of lower esophageal cancer was made. A lower esophagectomy with a total gastrectomy was performed. A sarcoid-like reaction comprising epithelioid cells and giant cells was seen in the regional lymph nodes. No clinical findings indicative of systemic sarcoidosis were observed. This rare condition may therefore help to improve our overall understanding of the relationship between malignant neoplasms and sarcoid-like reactions in the regional lymph nodes.