RCOM-Contiguous extension of bronchogenic carcinoma
Glenn Anthony Blackwood, MD and
An 80-year-old man pre-sented with a 3-week history of cough
productive of blood-tinged sputum. Four years previously, a chest
radiograph obtained preop-eratively for a transuretheral prostate
resection showed a left hilar mass. The mass was presumed to be a
bron-chogenic carcinoma based in part on its radiographic
characteristics and the patient's 50-pack per year smoking history.
However, he was not a candidate for surgery or chemotherapy due to
severe chronic obstructive pulmonary dis-ease, with an FEV1 of 1.17
on pulmonary function test-ing. The 4-year follow-up chest
radiographs disclosed progression in the size of the mass (figure
1). Since he was now symptomatic and might benefit from radiation
ther-apy, a CT scan was per-formed (figures 2 and 3).