Case of tracheal cartilage necrosis as a complication of chemoradiotherapy for oesophageal cancer

A 50-year-old man presented with cough, fever and dyspnoea. He had received chemoradiotherapy for oesophageal cancer 5 months previously (radiotherapy: 59.4 Gy; chemotherapy: 5-fluorouracil (700 mg/m2 days 1–5)+cisplatin (70 mg/m2 day 1) every 4 weeks for 3 cycles), and had been undergoing chemotherapy to prevent recurrence (docetaxel, 70 mg/m2×90% dose). On physical examination, his vital signs were found to be within normal limits and stridor was heard during inspiration. CT of the chest revealed tracheal stenosis (figure 1). On further examination using a …