[Face to a bilateral pneumothorax, just scratch your head!].

Rev Mal Respir

AP-HP, Hôpital Bichat, Service de Pneumologie A et Centre de Référence des Maladies Pulmonaires Rares, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018 Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Inserm-S 1152, PHERE, Paris, France.

Published: February 2023

AI Article Synopsis

  • Head and neck skin angiosarcoma is a rare and aggressive tumor, comprising only 1% of head and neck tumors, with a poor prognosis and a 5-year survival rate between 10% and 54%, worsening significantly with metastasis.
  • Metastatic lung involvement can lead to complications such as cystic forms causing pneumothorax, as seen in an 83-year-old patient who experienced hemoptoic sputum and was diagnosed with bilateral pneumothorax.
  • The patient was confirmed to have cutaneous angiosarcoma through biopsy and lung resection, but the clinical course was poor, resulting in death before treatment, emphasizing the need for thorough clinical skin examinations in patients with lung issues.

Article Abstract

Head and neck skin angiosarcoma is a rare and aggressive tumor (1 % of head and neck tumors). Prognosis remains poor, with a 5-year survival rate ranging from 10 to 54%, depending on the initial stage. Metastatic disease markedly worsens the prognosis. Metastatic lung involvement is classic and can take on several forms. The cystic form is responsible for numerous complications, particularly pneumothorax. In this case, an 83-year-old patient was diagnosed with bilateral pneumothorax complicating cystic interstitial lung disease, which was revealed by hemoptoic sputum. Skin examination revealed two large necrotic lesions of the calvaria. Anatomo-pathological examination confirmed cutaneous angiosarcoma on both skin biopsy and lung resection. At a metastatic stage, only systemic treatment with paclitaxel can be proposed. The clinical course was unfavorable, leading to death before any specific treatment. This observation highlights the importance of a complete clinical skin examination in the assessment of pulmonary cystic lesions.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rmr.2023.01.003DOI Listing

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