Background This report assesses the feasibility of a sequential treatment strategy for a patient with active tuberculosis (TB) complicated by thrombocytosis and squamous cell lung carcinoma, involving initial anti-TB therapy combined with aspirin, followed by anticancer treatment. It highlights the challenge of balancing infection control, hematologic stability, and oncologic management in this complex scenario. Case presentation A 55-year-old man with a 15-day history of cough, sputum, and fever was found to have markedly elevated platelet levels. Bronchoscopy confirmed active TB with concurrent lung cancer. Following anti-TB therapy combined with aspirin for antiplatelet management, platelet counts returned to normal. One month later, antitumor chemotherapy with nab-paclitaxel and carboplatin was initiated, leading to effective disease control. Conclusion Active TB complicated by thrombocytosis and squamous cell lung carcinoma poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This case demonstrates that early anti-TB therapy combined with aspirin can effectively normalize platelet counts and facilitate the timely initiation of anticancer treatment.
Zhu et al. (Tue,) studied this question.