Pulmonary cryptococcosis suspected as lung cancer: clinical investigation of 21 cases / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics of cryptococcus neoformans patients who suspected as lung cancer and treated with surgery, and to improve the diagnosis of the disease.Methods:A retrospective analysis on clinical data(including preoperative laboratory examination, chest CT imaging and postoperative pathology) of 21 cryptococcosis neoformans patients misdiagnosed as lung cancer in our hospital from February 2016 to July 2019.Results:Among the 21 patients, 17 cases were single nodules and 4 cases were multiple nodules, among which 15 cases were highly suspected malignancy. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was cryptococcal pulmonary granulomatosis. 14 patients were treated with antifungal therapy after surgery. No recurrence was found after postoperative follow-up.Conclusion:The clinical manifestations and imaging examination of pulmonary cryptococcus neoformans patients have no obvious specificity, and it is easy to be misdiagnosed as early lung cancer. The diagnosis can only be confirmed by the combination of various means such as regular follow-up, laboratory examination, percutaneous lung puncture or surgical biopsy.