A case of primary small cell lung cancer presenting with hemothorax as an initial manifestation

Abstract

A 54-year-old man was admitted with a massive hemothorax. A chest tube was inserted and continuous suction drainage was started. Three preoperative cytodiagnosis tests were negative. Since drainage was inadequate and hemothorax began to aggravate, hematoma elimination was performed twice by VATS, but the procedures were unsuccessful. Then, the massive hemothorax recurred, we had to perform a third operation. We extracted the hematoma with 9,000 mL of bleeding. The pathological findings indicated small cell lung cancer. The patient died of an increase of the hematoma and a tumor on the 21st day after the operation.