A Patient With Pancoast Tumor Presenting With Cervical Radiculopathy: A Case Report.

Objective: The purpose of this report was to describe a patient with a Pancoast tumor who presented for chiropractic care with neck and arm pain. Clinical Features: A 52-year-old male patient with right-sided cervicothoracic pain and numbness in the right upper extremity presented to a chiropractic office for care. The patient reported an occupational history of repetitive lifting motions and overuse injuries. The patient denied history of smoking at the time of presentation. Intervention and Outcome: Radiographic imaging revealed tracheal deviation. A chest computed tomography image demonstrated a large lesion in the apex of the right lung, suggestive of bronchogenic carcinoma. The patient was referred to an oncology clinic, where he admitted to having a 20-year history of smoking. The diagnosis of adenocarcinoma was made via biopsy, and the oncologist's evaluation confirmed the cancer to be stage IIIC. The patient received palliative care treatments, as the advanced state of his condition determined that he was not a candidate for surgical intervention. Conclusion: Chiropractors and other first-contact health care providers must keep in mind unusual presentations masquerading as common conditions. This case demonstrates the importance of including apical lung tumors in the differential diagnosis of unilateral arm and neck pain and neurologic deficits of the upper extremity. This case demonstrates the importance of thorough follow-up on images ordered, including the ordering clinicians viewing the images themselves.

Dual-energy CT based monitoring of treatment-induced bone marrow changes in lung cancer patients: preliminary results.

Background: Systemic lung cancer treatment-induced changes in bone marrow attenuation assessed via dual-energy CT-based virtual non-calcium (VNCa) imaging of the axial skeleton and their relationship to hematological laboratory have not yet been investigated. Methods: VNCa bone marrow images of the axial skeleton derived from 93 unenhanced reduced dose dual-energy CTs of the thorax and abdomen of 31 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Each patient had received one pre-therapy baseline exam and two consecutive follow-up exams (FU1 and FU2) at a mean of 7.7 and 11.7 weeks after start of therapy. Concurrent hematologic laboratory data were available for every exam. Seven regions of interest were placed in the spine and pelvis and mean VNCa bone marrow attenuation was measured. Twenty-two Patients receiving highly myelotoxic treatment (Group A) were compared to 9 patients receiving less toxic substances (Group B). Results: Median bone marrow attenuation in Group A/Group B was -31.8 HU (IQR 12.7)/40.6 HU (IQR, 12.2) at baseline, -46.5 HU (IQR, 12.5)/-43.8 HU (15.7) at FU1 and -46.9 HU (IQR, 22.0)/-38.5 HU (IQR, 18.5) at FU2. In both subgroups the reduction of the mean attenuation between baseline and FU1 was statistically significant although in Group A it was more pronounced; no significant difference was found between FU1 and FU2. The differences between Groups were not statistically significant. Leukopenia rates at FU1 and FU 2 were 50% and 54.5% in Group A and 0% and 22% in Group B. Anemia rates rose from 31.8% at baseline to 90% at FU1 and 86.4% at FU2 in Group A and fell from 77.8% at baseline to 66.7% at FU1 and further to 55.6% at FU2 in Group B. Conclusions: Both highly myelotoxic as well as-to a smaller degree-less myelotoxic systemic therapy led to a significant drop in bone marrow attenuation with no significant tendency towards subsequent elevation irrespective of the treatment's degree of toxicity or the presence of myelosuppression and not even under hematological supportive therapy. The results suggest that in this clinical setting an increase in bone marrow attenuation should be regarded as suspicious for tumor infiltration.

Papel de la interleuquina-17 en procesos inflamatorios y patologías pulmonares / Role of interleukin-17 in inflammatory processes and pulmonary pathologies

Resumen Introducción: Cuatro de las diez principales causas de muerte en el mundo corresponden a patologías pulmonares donde las infecciones respiratorias se ubican en tercer lugar y a su vez son uno de los principales motivos de consulta médica. Por otro lado, la interleuquina IL-17 parece tener un papel importante en la inmunopatogénesis de un gran número de enfermedades, pues se ha descrito que niveles elevados en sangre periférica u otros fluidos corporales se relacionan con metástasis e infecciones. Diferente a patologías cutáneas e intestinales, donde el papel de la IL-17 se conoce con mayor detalle, en procesos pulmonares su rol es aún controversial. Objetivo: Describir conocimientos actuales sobre la función de la IL-17 en procesos inflamatorios y patologías locales pulmonares. Metodología de búsqueda: Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica de artículos originales y revisiones de tema en los motores de búsqueda MEDLINE y Science Direct, de los cuales 50 cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Conclusiones: Se encontró que la respuesta de IL-17 parece estar relacionada con buen pronóstico en el caso de algunas neumonías bacterianas. Igualmente, el bloqueo de la vía de señalización de la IL-17 en neoplasias pulmonares podría ser beneficioso y se considera como un potencial blanco terapéutico en estas condiciones, por lo que los estudios en este tema continúan siendo fundamentales para conocer mejor el verdadero rol de esta proteína en diversas condiciones patológicas del pulmón. MÉD.UIS.2021;34(1): 55-62.

Abstract Introduction: Four out of ten major causes of death in the world are due to pulmonary pathologies where respiratory infections are in third place and in turn, are one of the main reasons for medical consultation. Interleukin (IL)-17 seems to have an important role in the immunopathogenesis of many diseases. Elevated levels of IL-17 in peripheral blood or other body fluids have been reported to be associated with metastases and infections. Likewise, the role that IL-17 has in the skin and intestinal pathology is clearly known, however; its role within pulmonary pathologies is controversial yet. Objective: To describe the current knowledge on the role of IL-17 in inflammatory processes and pulmonary pathologies. Search Methodology: A bibliographic search of original and review papers was carried out in the MEDLINE and Science Direct database, in which 50 articles matched the inclusion criteria. Conclusions: The response involving IL-17 in the lung seems to be related to a good prognosis in the case of some bacterial pneumonia. Blocking the IL-17 signaling pathway in lung cancer could be beneficial and is considered as a potential therapeutic target under these conditions, so studies on this subject must be continued to better understand the true role of this protein in every pathologic lung condition. MÉD.UIS.2021;34(1): 55-62.

ESR/ERS statement paper on lung cancer screening.

In Europe, lung cancer ranks third among the most common cancers, remaining the biggest killer. Since the publication of the first European Society of Radiology and European Respiratory Society joint white paper on lung cancer screening (LCS) in 2015, many new findings have been published and discussions have increased considerably. Thus, this updated expert opinion represents a narrative, non-systematic review of the evidence from LCS trials and description of the current practice of LCS as well as aspects that have not received adequate attention until now. Reaching out to the potential participants (persons at high risk), optimal communication and shared decision-making will be key starting points. Furthermore, standards for infrastructure, pathways and quality assurance are pivotal, including promoting tobacco cessation, benefits and harms, overdiagnosis, quality, minimum radiation exposure, definition of management of positive screen results and incidental findings linked to respective actions as well as cost-effectiveness. This requires a multidisciplinary team with experts from pulmonology and radiology as well as thoracic oncologists, thoracic surgeons, pathologists, family doctors, patient representatives and others. The ESR and ERS agree that Europe's health systems need to adapt to allow citizens to benefit from organised pathways, rather than unsupervised initiatives, to allow early diagnosis of lung cancer and reduce the mortality rate. Now is the time to set up and conduct demonstration programmes focusing, among other points, on methodology, standardisation, tobacco cessation, education on healthy lifestyle, cost-effectiveness and a central registry.Key Points• Pulmonologists and radiologists both have key roles in the set up of multidisciplinary LCS teams with experts from many other fields.• Pulmonologists identify people eligible for LCS, reach out to family doctors, share the decision-making process and promote tobacco cessation.• Radiologists ensure appropriate image quality, minimum dose and a standardised reading/reporting algorithm, together with a clear definition of a "positive screen".• Strict algorithms define the exact management of screen-detected nodules and incidental findings.• For LCS to be (cost-)effective, it has to target a population defined by risk prediction models.

Ion mobility spectrometry: the diagnostic tool of third millennium medicine

SUMMARY Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a fast, low cost, portable, and sensitive technique that separates ions in a drift tube under the influence of an electric field according to their size and shape. IMS represents a non-invasive and reliable instrumental alternative for the diagnosis of different diseases through the analysis of volatile metabolites in biological samples. IMS has applications in medicine in the study of volatile compounds for the non-invasive diagnose of bronchial carcinoma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other diseases analysing breath, urine, blood, faeces, and other biological samples. This technique has been used to study complex mixtures such as proteomes, metabolomes, complete organisms like bacteria and viruses, monitor anaesthetic agents, determine drugs, pharmaceuticals, and volatile compounds in human body fluids, and others. Pharmaceutical applications include analysis of over-the-counter-drugs, quality assessment, and cleaning verification. Medical practice needs non-invasive, robust, secure, fast, real-time, and low-cost methods with high sensitivity and compact size instruments to diagnose different diseases and IMS is the diagnostic tool that meets all these requirements of the Medicine of the future.

RESUMO A espectrometria de mobilidade iônica (IMS) é uma técnica rápida, de baixo custo, portátil e sensível que separa íons em um tubo de deriva sob a influência de um campo elétrico de acordo com seu tamanho e forma. A IMS representa uma alternativa instrumental não invasiva e confiável para o diagnóstico de diferentes doenças por meio da análise de metabólitos voláteis em amostras biológicas. A IMS possui aplicações em medicina no estudo de compostos voláteis para o diagnóstico não invasivo de carcinoma brônquico, doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica e outras doenças que analisam respiração, urina, sangue, fezes e outras amostras biológicas. A IMS tem sido usada para estudar misturas complexas, como proteomas, metabólitos, organismos completos como bactérias e vírus, monitorar agentes anestésicos, determinar drogas, produtos farmacêuticos e compostos voláteis em fluidos corporais e outros fluidos. As aplicações farmacêuticas incluem análises de medicamentos sem receita, avaliação de qualidade e verificação de limpeza. A prática médica precisa de métodos não invasivos, robustos, seguros, rápidos, em tempo real e de baixo custo com instrumentos de alta sensibilidade e tamanho compacto para diagnosticar diferentes doenças e a IMS é a ferramenta de diagnóstico que atende a todos esses requisitos da medicina do futuro.

Quiste broncógeno mediastinal puro: reporte de tres casos / Pure mediastinal bronchogenic cyst: three case reports

Fundamento: el quiste broncógeno mediastinal puro suele localizarse en el mediastino medio, aparece en ambos sexos y a cualquier edad, aunque por ser congénito es mayor en niños y jóvenes, por lo general son asintomáticos y su diagnóstico muchas veces es casual. Se realiza una introducción temática sobre esta tumoración en cuanto a su origen, cuadro clínico, diagnóstico y tratamiento. Se señala que pueden aparecer en otras partes del tórax y cuello. Objetivo: exponer las diferentes formas de presentación del quiste broncógeno mediastinal. Casos clínicos: tres pacientes mujeres, mayores de 45 años atendidas en los servicios de cirugía de los hospitales Amalia Simoni y Manuel Ascunce Domenech a las cuales se le extirpó una tumoración quistíca mediastinal y que fueron estudiadas con anteriodad mediante el análisis en su conjunto del cuadro clínico, la radiografía, ultrasonografía y tomografía axial computarizada del tórax y confirmado el diagnóstico de quiste broncógeno por estudio histopatológico. El tratamiento incluyó resección del tumor mediante toracotomía con buena evolución postoperatoria en todas las enfermas. Conclusiones: se presentan tres enfermas mayores de 45 años tratadas con resección de un quiste broncógeno mediastinal por toracotomía abierta, con buenos resultados terapéuticos.

Background: pure mediastinal bronchogenic cyst is usually located in the middle mediastinum. It is more frequent in both sexes and at any age, although as it is congenital its incidence is higher in children and teenagers. Generally these cysts are asymptomatic and their diagnoses are casual in a lot of cases. A thematic introduction about a mediastinal cystic tumor was performed taking into account its origin, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment. It has been pointed that it might appear in other parts of thorax and neck. Objective: to show the different forms of appearance of mediastinal bronchogenic cyst. Clinical cases: three women over 45 years old were treated in the surgical services areas of Amalia Simoni and Manuel Ascunce Domenech hospitals, to whom a resection of the mediastinal cystic tumor was performed. They were studied in advance through the analysis of the symptoms, thorax radiography, ultrasonography, computerized axial tomography and then the diagnosis was confirmed with the histopathological study. The treatment included tumor excision through thoracotomy with good post-operatory evolution in all the patients. Conclusions: three patients older over 45 years old were treated with mediastinal cystic tumor excision through open thoracotomy with good therapeutic results.

A Case of Primary Lung Cancer Mistaken for Pulmonary Metastasis of Renal Cell Carcinoma / 대한내과학회지

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is rare relative to other urological cancers, but relatively common overall among males. Even when primary tumors are successfully removed by surgery, metastases are often noted within a few years. On the other hand, masses found at other sites in patients with RCC may represent different primary cancers. We present the case of a 63-year-old man with a right lung mass and a left lung nodule who underwent radical right nephrectomy for RCC. We found no local recurrence of RCC in the abdomen. Despite treatment for RCC, the right lung mass increased in size. We performed a lung needle biopsy and diagnosed primary lung cancer. Postoperatively, the remaining left lung nodule also increased in size. It was diagnosed as an RCC metastasis upon biopsy and removed by wedge resection. The patient was treated with everolimus after the second surgery.

Multiple instances of peripheral artery emboli from occult primary small cell lung cancer.

Most peripheral artery emboli originate in the heart, and systemic neoplastic emboli are infrequently associated with bronchogenic carcinoma. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of pulmonary vein infiltration by small cell lung cancer.We describe a highly unusual case of multiple instances of peripheral embolism as the first overt sign of occult primary small cell lung cancer. Tumor emboli infiltrated the pulmonary veins of a 62-year-old man who presented first with a transient ischemic attack and then with other ischemic symptoms. The uncommonly wide distribution of tumor emboli over a short time resulted in death.Improvements in diagnostic imaging have led to the early identification of relatively isolated small cell lung cancers. This patient's case underscores the importance of transesophageal echocardiography in detecting cardiac emboli when the cause of cerebral ischemic attack is unknown or if there might be multiple instances of arterial embolism. Computed tomography also has a role in the investigation of possible sources of emboli and unrecognized, asymptomatic embolization.

Endoscopic cryotherapy of lung and bronchial tumors: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We made a systematic review and evaluation of endoscopic cryotherapy of endobronchial tumors, investigating safety and efficacy. METHODS: Qualified studies regarding endoscopic cryotherapy of lung tumors were systemically evaluated using available databases according to predefined criteria. RESULTS: In total, 16 publications were included in the final assessment. A narrative synthesis was performed because a formal meta-analysis was not viable due to the lack of controlled studies and study heterogeneity. Overall success rates for significant recanalization of the obstruction were approximately 80%, although they varied, depending on disease status in the patient population. Complications from the procedure developed in 0-11.1% of cases, most of which were minor and controlled by conservative management. Although limited data were available on comprehensive functional assessment, some studies showed that respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function tests, and performance status were significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic cryotherapy was found to be a safe and useful procedure in the management of endobronchial tumors although its efficacy and appropriate indications have yet to be determined in well-designed controlled studies.

Endoscopic Cryotherapy of Lung and Bronchial Tumors: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We made a systematic review and evaluation of endoscopic cryotherapy of endobronchial tumors, investigating safety and efficacy. METHODS: Qualified studies regarding endoscopic cryotherapy of lung tumors were systemically evaluated using available databases according to predefined criteria. RESULTS: In total, 16 publications were included in the final assessment. A narrative synthesis was performed because a formal meta-analysis was not viable due to the lack of controlled studies and study heterogeneity. Overall success rates for significant recanalization of the obstruction were approximately 80%, although they varied, depending on disease status in the patient population. Complications from the procedure developed in 0-11.1% of cases, most of which were minor and controlled by conservative management. Although limited data were available on comprehensive functional assessment, some studies showed that respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function tests, and performance status were significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic cryotherapy was found to be a safe and useful procedure in the management of endobronchial tumors although its efficacy and appropriate indications have yet to be determined in well-designed controlled studies.

Nódulo sincrônico pulmonar e hepático em paciente com antecedente de carcinoma broncogênico: a importância da confirmação histopatológica / Synchronous pulmonary and hepatic nodules in a patient with previous bronchogenic carcinoma: the relevance of histopathological confirmation

A apresentação de lesão sincrônica pulmonar e hepática em um paciente com antecedente de carcinoma broncogênico operado gera a suspeita de recidiva tumoral e indica a necessidade de re-estadiamento. Apresentamos o caso de um paciente de 71 anos submetido à lobectomia pulmonar com ressecção de pericárdio e linfadenectomia mediastinal (T3N0M0). Cinco anos após a cirurgia, detectou-se a presença de uma nova lesão pulmonar. No re-estadiamento, foi diagnosticada uma lesão sincrônica no fígado. Apesar da forte suspeita de recidiva tumoral, prosseguiu-se a investigação e uma punção hepática revelou carcinoma hepatocelular. Para esclarecer a etiologia da lesão pulmonar (hipóteses de recidiva de carcinoma brônquico ou de metástase de carcinoma hepatocelular), foi realizada uma biópsia a céu aberto, compatível com reação inflamatória crônica com focos de antracose e de calcificação distrófica. O paciente foi então submetido à ressecção hepática não-regrada com intuito curativo. Teve boa evolução, com alta no 10º dia de pós-operatório. O presente relato destaca a importância do diagnóstico histopatológico em pacientes com antecedente de carcinoma broncogênico e suspeita de recidiva. Hipóteses diagnósticas e condutas terapêuticas são discutidas.

The synchronous presentation of pulmonary and hepatic nodules in a patient with previously resected bronchogenic carcinoma raises suspicion of recurrence and mandates restaging. We present the case of a 71-year-old male with a history of lobectomy with pericardial resection and mediastinal lymphadenectomy (T3N0M0). At five years after the operation, he presented with a new pulmonary lesion. Restaging detected a synchronous nodule in the liver. Despite the strong suspicion of tumor recurrence, further investigation with a percutaneous liver biopsy revealed hepatocellular carcinoma. In order to investigate the etiology of the pulmonary lesion (hypotheses of recurrent bronchial cancer and of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma), an open lung biopsy was performed, which revealed chronic inflammatory tissue with foci of anthracosis and dystrophic calcification. The patient was submitted to a non-anatomic resection of the liver lesion. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 10. This report highlights the relevance of the histopathological diagnosis in patients with a history of bronchogenic carcinoma and suspicion of tumor recurrence. Differential diagnoses and the treatment administered are discussed.

Câncer de pulmão: histologia, estádio, tratamento e sobrevida / Lung cancer: histology, staging, treatment and survival

OBJETIVO: Analisar os principais tipos histológicos, estádio, tratamento e sobrevida dos portadores de câncer de pulmão. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo a partir da análise dos prontuários de pacientes acompanhados no Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, num período de seis anos. RESULTADOS: De janeiro de 2000 a janeiro de 2006, foram acompanhados 240 doentes com câncer de pulmão, com predominância do sexo masculino (64 por cento). O tipo histológico mais freqüente foi o carcinoma escamoso (37,5 por cento), seguido pelo adenocarcinoma (30 por cento), carcinoma neuroendócrino (19,6 por cento) e carcinoma de grandes células (6,6 por cento). Apenas 131 pacientes (54,6 por cento) foram tratados. Destes, 52 pacientes (39,7 por cento) foram submetidos à quimioterapia exclusiva, 32 (24,4 por cento) realizaram quimioterapia associada à radioterapia e 47 (35,9 por cento) foram submetidos à cirurgia associada ou não à quimioterapia exclusiva e/ou radioterapia. Somente 27 pacientes (20,6 por cento) foram submetidos à cirurgia exclusiva.Em relação ao estadiamento, 34,4 por cento apresentavam, no momento do diagnóstico, estádio IV, 20,6 por cento estádio IIIB, 16,8 por cento estádio IIIA e os outros 28,2 por cento pertenciam aos estádios I e II. A sobrevida em cinco anos foi de 65 por cento para o estádio I e 25 por cento para os estádios remanescentes. CONCLUSÕES: O tipo histológico predominante foi o carcinoma escamoso e o de menor freqüência foi o carcinoma de grandes células. A maioria se encontrava em estádio avançado ao diagnóstico, estando nos estádios iniciais menos de 30 por cento dos casos. Isto justifica a baixa sobrevida e a pequena quantidade de pacientes submetidos ao tratamento cirúrgico exclusivo, em comparação à maioria que foi submetida à quimioterapia exclusiva.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze principal histological types of lung cancer, as well as the staging, treatment and survival of lung cancer patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective study based on the analysis of medical charts of patients treated at the Botucatu School of Medicine Hospital das Clínicas over a six-year period. RESULTS: From January of 2000 to January of 2006, 240 patients with lung cancer, most (64 percent) of whom were male, were treated. The most common histological type was squamous cell carcinoma (37.5 percent), followed by adenocarcinoma (30 percent), neuroendocrine carcinoma (19.6 percent) and large cell carcinoma (6.6 percent). Only 131 patients (54.6 percent) were treated. Of those, 52 patients (39.7 percent) received only chemotherapy, 32 (24.4 percent) were treated with chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy, and 47 (35.9 percent) were submitted to surgery alone or surgery accompanied by chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy. Only 27 patients (20.6 percent) were submitted to surgery alone. Concerning staging, 34.4 percent presented stage IV at the time of diagnosis, 20.6 percent presented stage IIIB, 16.8 percent presented stage IIIA, and the remaining 28.2 percent were classified as stage I or II. Five-year survival was 65 percent for those in stage I and 25 percent for those in the remaining stages. CONCLUSIONS: Of the various histological types, the most common was squamous cell carcinoma and the least common was large cell carcinoma. Most cases presented advanced stages at the moment of diagnosis, and less than 30 percent of the cases presented early stages. This accounts for the low survival rate and the small number of patients submitted to surgical treatment alone, the majority being submitted to chemotherapy alone.

Immunohistochemical Analysis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Correlation with Clinical Parameters and Prognosis

Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) vary in their biologic behavior. Recurrence and tumor-related mortality may be attributable to molecular abnormalities in primary tumors. This study evaluated such immunophenotypes with regard to cell cycle regulation and proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis, to determine their significance for patient outcome. Core biopsies from 219 patients with NSCLC were assembled on tissue microarrays, and the expressions of p16, p21, p27, cyclin B1, cyclin E, Ki-67, caspase-3, survivin, bcl-2, VEGF, and endostatin were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Despite previously described prognostic relevance of some of the investigated molecules, many of those markers were not directly associated with recurrence or survival. However, there was a trend for p16 immunoreactivity to be associated with a good prognosis (57% vs. 42% in 5-yr survival) (p=0.071). bcl-2 expression was strongly correlated with a better outcome (65% vs. 45% in 5-yr survival) (p=0.029), and the hazard of death for bcl-2 positive patients was 0.42 times of that for bcl-2 negative patients (p=0.047). A multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazards model confirmed that the lymph node status (p=0.043) and stage (p=0.003) were other independent prognostic factors. Our results suggest that p16 and bcl-2 provide prognostic information independent of the TNM stage in NSCLC.

Bronchogenic Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Patient with Swyer-James Syndrome: One Case Report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Swyer-James syndrome is a rare disease with patients presenting with unilateral hyperlucent lungs and hypoperfusion due to hypoplasia of the pulmonary artery and bronchiolitis obliterans. A unilateral hyperlucent lung generally develops after a lower respiratory tract infection during early childhood. In extremely rare cases, an association of bronchogenic carcinoma with Swyer-James syndrome has been reported. We report a case of bronchogenic squamous cell carcinoma associated with Swyer-James syndrome that performed right upper lobectomy and lymph node dissection with a relevant literature review.

Flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy in Basra, Iraq: a 20-month experience

This prospective study represents our experiences in using fibreoptic bronchoscopy [FOB] in the evaluation of different thoracic lesions. Over a 20-month period, 203 patients [151 males and 52 females] [age range: 15-100 years] underwent bronchoscopies. The patients had a wide range of symptoms and/or radiographic abnormalities. The majority had cough and shortness of breath; haemoptysis was a common symptom. In all, 148 patients had neoplasms and 55 had non-neoplastic lesions. The most common malignancy was bronchogenic carcinoma [91 confirmed, 33 suspected]. Other neoplasms included pulmonary metastases and mediastinal tumours. The non-neoplastic chest lesions included pulmonary tuberculosis, pulmonary hydatid cyst, lung abscess and resolving chest infection and chronic bronchitis. FOB was most useful in the diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma [positive diagnostic yield of 73%]. It was least useful in diagnosing mediastinal tumours

1 Case: Pulmonary Giant Cell Carcinoma / 대한흉부외과학회지

The pulmonary giant cell carcinoma is classified as a variant of a large cell carcinoma and is diagnosed by the minimum component of 10% huge, pleomorphic and multinucleated giant tumor cell and emperipolesis of the neutrophils into the tumor cells. This tumor is characterized by local recurrences and early metastasis with extremely short patient survival. However, there are some reports that state that the survival time was extended by the operative resection and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A 46-year old male was admitted with complaint of hemoptysis for 2 months. Through chest X-ray and chest CT, a 5cm sized mass was found in the apical segment of the right upper lobe. During the preoperative evaluation, stenotic lesion in the left anterior descending coronary artery was found and treated by percutaneous transarterial coronary angioplasty. Four weeks later, right upper lobectomy was performed and the mass was proven to be a giant cell carcinoma. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy.