Key result
Autopsy links sudden acute cor pulmonale to pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy without an identifiable primary tumor.
Why the study?
Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy is a highly fatal cancer complication causing acute cor pulmonale and pulmonary hypertension that requires recognition in differential diagnosis.
Case Report (n=1)
Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with acute breathlessness, as it can rapidly lead to fatal acute cor pulmonale.
Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a highly fatal complication of cancer leading to acute cor pulmonale and pulmonary hypertension. We present a case of 47-year-old male patient who developed acute breathlessness and died suddenly. The pulmonary vessels at autopsy on histopathologic examination showed the presence of fibrocellular intimal proliferation, fibrin thrombi and few tumor emboli consisting of malignant adenocarcinoma cells. There was associated lymphangiosis carcinomatosis. No primary visceral tumor was found despite extensive search. The patient had died following acute cor pulmonale with sudden pulmonary hypertension due to PTTM. This entity (PTTM) must be kept as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with acute breathlessness especially in cases of cancers.
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Amonkar et al. (2014) conducted a case report in Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) (n=1). Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy was evaluated on Autopsy findings. Autopsy of a 47-year-old male who died suddenly from acute cor pulmonale revealed pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy with no identifiable primary visceral tumor.
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