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Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Published in: Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Case report

Ground-glass opacity heralding invasive lung adenocarcinoma with prodromal dermatomyositis: a case report

Authors: Andrew J. Beel, David S. Demos, Alfred Chung, Charles Liao, Natalie S. Lui

Published in: Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Dermatomyositis, an inflammatory myopathy with cutaneous involvement, is associated with malignancy and often manifests paraneoplastically. While co-occurrence with small cell carcinoma is well attested, primary lung adenocarcinoma, which may present as focal ground-glass opacification on computed tomography of the thorax, is less frequently coincident.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 72-year-old female patient with dermatomyositis — treated with a combination of prednisone, methotrexate, and intravenous immunoglobulin — and an indolent, subsolid, non-hypermetabolic pulmonary lesion, which was determined to be invasive primary lung adenocarcinoma. Supporting a paraneoplastic basis, immunosuppressive therapy was discontinued following tumor excision without relapse of signs or symptoms of dermatomyositis.

Conclusions

While dermatomyositis prodromal to lung adenocarcinoma is not without precedent, association with an indolent, subsolid lesion has, to the best of our knowledge, not been reported. The case described herein illustrates the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for malignancy in the setting of dermatomyositis.
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Metadata
Title
Ground-glass opacity heralding invasive lung adenocarcinoma with prodromal dermatomyositis: a case report
Authors
Andrew J. Beel
David S. Demos
Alfred Chung
Charles Liao
Natalie S. Lui
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1749-8090
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-018-0705-x

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