Background: Associated symptoms of bronchogenic carcinoma other than chest complaints
like dysphagia are rarely demonstrated in literature regarding prevalence, cause–effect relationship
and proper management plan. Gastrointestinal motility disorder as a cause of dysphagia in
lung cancer is incompletely understood. This prospective preliminary study aims to find out the
prevalence and different aetiologic mechanisms for dysphagia among lung cancer patients using
oesphagoscopy and oesphageal manometry.
Patients and methods: All lung cancer patients with dysphagia admitted in the Cancer Institute,
Assiut University during the year 2010–2012 were included in the study. All patients were subjected
to oesophagoscopy and oesophagomanometry study.
Results: We collected 165 cases of bronchogenic carcinoma during the study period. Dysphagia
was diagnosed in 20 cases (12.1%) regardless the stage of malignancy. Four separate dysphagia
causes were identified. Secondary achalasia was diagnosed in 10 cases (50%), whereas enlarged
mediastinal lymph nodes and candidal oesphagitis in 4 cases each (20%), and chemoradiotherapy
in 2 cases (10%).
Conclusions: Dysphagia associated with bronchogenic carcinoma is not uncommon and should
be asked for and documented in all cases if present. Secondary achalasia is the commonest mechanism
of dysphagia based on oesphagoscopy and manometry. Further large sample multicenteric