Unsuspected Pneumocystis Pneumonia in an HIV-seronegative Patient with Untreated Lung Cancer: Circa Case Report

Overview

Journal J Med Case Rep

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2007 Oct 30

PMID 17963527

Authors

Cai Chuang

Xie Zhanhong

Gu Yinyin

Zeng Qingsi

Zhong Shuqing

Zhong Nanshan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Patients with solid malignant tumours are at increased risk of Pneumocystis jiroveci infection from immunosuppression as a result of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, but active Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in untreated lung cancer is uncommon.

Case Presentation: A 43-year-old woman presented with prolonged fever, progressive dyspnoea, diffuse alveolar and interstitial infiltrates. Malignant cells were found on sputum cytology, confirming the diagnosis of lung cancer. She had been treated with corticosteroids and antibiotics but did not receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Pneumocystis jiroveci was later found in the sputum but she proved to be HIV negative.

Conclusion: Unsuspected PCP can occur in chemotherapy and radiotherapy-naïve, HIV-seronegative patients with lung cancer. The complex clinicoradiological manifestations of PCP with underlying lung cancer can lead to delay in diagnosis and may worsen the prognosis.

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