DOI: 10.12890/2021_002422
After All, It was Not Lung Cancer: When The Evidence is Misleading
Authors
joanabraga12@gmail.com
Keywords
Pulmonary nodule, parasitic infection, non-small cell lung cancerAbstract
The aetiology of pulmonary nodules is varied, with malignant lesions being the most important and requiring rapid diagnosis and treatment. However, although clinical presentation and imaging may suggest a specific diagnosis, it should be kept in mind that some benign pathologies mimic more serious disease.
A 50-year-old man presented with left pleuritic chest pain. A CT scan showed an ipsilateral pulmonary spiculated nodule. Pneumonia was assumed and the patient was started on antibiotic therapy. In the absence of improvement, positron emission tomography and a transthoracic aspiration biopsy were performed. Lung cancer was diagnosed and the patient underwent an upper lobectomy. However, examination of the surgical specimen showed no malignancy.
References
- Libby DM, Smith JP, Altorki NK, Pasmantier MW, Yankelevitz D, Henschke CI. Managing the small pulmonary nodule discovered by CT. Chest 2004;125(4):1522–1529. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1378/chest.125.4.1522
- Patro M, Gothi D, Sah RB, Vaidya S. An interesting case of incidental solitary pulmonary nodule. Breathe 2018;14(4):e128–133.
- Yang W, Sun W, Li Q, Yao Y, Lv T, Zeng J, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy for solitary pulmonary nodules. PLoS One 2015;10(6):1–9.
- Dziedzic R, Rzyman W. Incidentally diagnosed pulmonary nodules: a diagnostic algorithm. Kardiochir Torakochirurgia Pol 2014;11(4):397–403.
- Gould MK, Fletcher J, Iannettoni MD, Lynch WR, Midthun DE, Naidich DP, et al. Evaluation of patients with pulmonary nodules: when is it lung cancer? ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (2nd edition). Chest 2007;132(3 Suppl):108S–130S. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1378/chest.07-1353
- Baglio PT, Gazzana MB, Silva DR. Nódulo pulmonar solitário. Rev Soc Bras Clín Méd 2009;7:132–139.
