PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Viral K Doshi
AU  - Shreedhar R Kulkarni
AU  - Nang M Kham
AU  - Kent S Kapitan
TI  - A Case of Lung Cancer Originating from Cavitary <em>Mycobacterium xenopi</em> Infection
AID  - 10.4187/respcare.03549
DP  - 2014 Oct 21
TA  - Respiratory Care
PG  - respcare.03549
4099  - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/early/2014/10/21/respcare.03549.short
4100  - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/early/2014/10/21/respcare.03549.full
AB  - Coexistence of Mycobacterium xenopi with lung cancer has been reported. However, lung cancer originating within a pre-existing cavity caused by M. xenopi has not. A 55-y-old woman with a history of smoking presented with complaints of chronic dry cough, night sweats, and weight loss for several months. Computed tomography (CT) scanning revealed a 3.5-cm irregular thick-walled cavity in the right lung apex. Cultures obtained from a CT-guided biopsy grew M. xenopi. The patient received standard treatment, and her clinical symptoms improved, and the radiographic lesion stabilized. However, 2 y later, a repeat chest x-ray showed the original right upper lobe cavity with an interval development of a mass adjoining the cavity. A CT-guided needle biopsy of the new mass demonstrated squamous cell carcinoma. Whenever there is a change in the radiological appearance of a cavity, a repeat biopsy should be performed to exclude lung cancer.