Gefitinib Leads to Complete Resolution of Postoperative Cervical Chyloma and Chylothorax in a Lung Cancer Patient

Abstract

Cervical chyloma is a not uncommon complication after neck surgery, especially following diagnostic excision of supraclavicular lymph nodes. Conservative treatment remains the standard approach but is inevitably distressful. We describe the case of a 60-year-old Asian woman who was diagnosed as having adenocarcinoma of the lung with cervical and supraclavicular node involvement. She developed persistent cervical chyle leak after excisional biopsy of the supraclavicular nodes and proved refractory to all management. Subsequent gefitinib therapy led to rapid resolution of chyloma and tumor regression. This case provided a unique experience of managing intractable postoperative chyloma in a cancer patient.