Lymphangitis carcinomatosis of unknown origin presenting as severe pulmonary hypertension.
An apparently healthy 46-year-old woman was admitted because of progressive shortness of breath that had begun 2 months before her admission. Physical examination revealed a patient with respiratory distress, tachycardia, and mild jugular venous distention; otherwise, results were unremarkable. Our investigation revealed hypoxia and severe pulmonary hypertension with signs of right heart dysfunction, but no primary cause was found. The patient died 5 days after admission. Autopsy revealed pulmonary lymphangitis carcinomatosis caused by papillary carcinoma. No primary tumor was found.
Maza
Itay
I
Department of Internal Medicine B, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Braun
Eyal
E
Plotkin
Ana
A
Guralnik
Ludmila
L
Azzam
Zaher S
ZS
D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008205:Lymphangitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged