Multiple malignancies in lymphoproliferative disorders diagnosed by needle aspiration biopsy of pulmonary lesions

The occurrence of 5 cases of carcinoma of the lung in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders was noted in a 6-month period at the Hartford Hospital. In 3 cases, needle aspiration biopsy of a solitary pulmonary nodule revealed the presence of the second malignant disease. A survey of the pertinent literature indicates that the autopsy incidence of multiple neoplasms significantly exceeds the clinical incidence. Greater diagnostic aggressiveness, particularly with reference to needle aspiration biopsy, is indicated in the presence of a pulmonary lesion in the patient with a lymphoproliferative disorder.