A case of pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma diagnosed by surgery

Abstract

A 60-year-old man developed a productive cough. Prior to developing this symptom, he had had routine annual medical exams, and no abnormalities had been observed on chest radiographs. However, in January 2007, he began having frequent episodes of coughing that were productive ; chest radiograph abnormalities were seen in April 2007. A bronchial sponge biopsy done at another hospital revealed Class II cytology, and the patient was referred to our hospital for further examination and treatment. A sponge biopsy performed at our hospital revealed Class IV cytology. Since lung cancer was suspected, the patient underwent a right anterior axillary thoracotomy and a right lower lobectomy via a thoracoscope. After surgery, a definitive diagnosis of pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma was made. A preoperative diagnosis of this disease tends to be difficult to make, and a standard treatment regimen has not yet been established. Therefore, surgery is not only useful for initial treatment, but also aids in making a definitive diagnosis and provides information for making additional treatment decisions.