Successful corticosteroid treatment for pleural effusion due to radiation-induced pleuritis after chemoradiotherapy in a patient with esophageal cancer

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is one of the therapies with curative intent used to treat esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and overall survival of patients with esophageal carcinoma treated with CRT has improved. As the number of long-term survivors treated with concurrent CRT has increased, more patients experience late toxicities. A delayed adverse event, such as pleural effusion, is sometimes fatal, but little is known about its treatment. A 72-year-old man diagnosed with ESCC was treated with definitive CRT. He had a complete response to CRT, and 4 years later he complained of dyspnea, caused by pleural effusion. Diuretic agents and drainage of pleural effusion were not sufficiently effective in this case. After oral administration of 30 mg prednisolone, re-accumulation of fluid in the pleural space was controlled and the prednisolone dose was gradually tapered. Corticosteroids could be effective treatment for delayed pleural effusion after radiotherapy, and should be considered an option for treatment-refractory pleural effusion.