Key result
Transbronchial lung biopsy successfully diagnosed pulmonary tumor embolism due to squamous tumor cells in a 47-year-old man with a history of treated oropharyngeal carcinoma.
Why the study?
Pulmonary tumor embolisms are primarily caused by adenocarcinoma, with only a few cases of oropharyngeal carcinoma reported.
Case Report (n=1)
Highlights that pulmonary tumor embolism should be considered in patients with a history of hypoxia and malignancy, including non-adenocarcinomas such as oropharyngeal carcinoma.
Supports feasibility of transbronchial biopsy for pulmonary tumor embolism diagnosis; leaves open broader utility pending prospective validation.
Pulmonary tumor embolisms (PTEs) are primarily caused by adenocarcinoma. However, only a few cases of oropharyngeal carcinoma have been reported. We herein report a 47-year-old man who presented with a fever, cough, and dyspnea 6 months after treatment for stage II oropharyngeal carcinoma. Chest computed tomography revealed centrilobular granular and nodular shadows and subpleural consolidation. A transbronchial lung biopsy revealed a mass of squamous tumor cells forming emboli in the small vessels, resulting in the diagnosis of PTE due to oropharyngeal carcinoma. Therefore, PTE should be considered for patients with a history of hypoxia.
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Anai et al. (2024) conducted a case report in Pulmonary tumor embolism due to oropharyngeal carcinoma (n=1). Transbronchial lung biopsy was evaluated on Diagnosis of pulmonary tumor embolism. Transbronchial lung biopsy successfully diagnosed pulmonary tumor embolism due to squamous tumor cells in a 47-year-old man with a history of treated oropharyngeal carcinoma.
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