title: Alpha-fetoprotein-producing primary lung carcinoma: a case report.
abstract: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing lung adenocarcinoma is a rare type of lung cancer, with its characteristics not yet fully clarified. We recently encountered a case of this type of lung cancer. The patient was a 69-year-old man who consulted an internist with the chief complaint of epigastric pain. Chest X-ray and CT revealed a lobulated mass measuring 70 mm in diameter in the right lower lung field and a metastasis in the right hilar lymph nodes. Of the tumor markers, the serum AFP was elevated (4620 ng/ml), and the serum carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were also slightly elevated. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed the diagnosis of lung cancer. Under thoracoscopic assistance, right lower lobectomy + mediastinal lymph node dissection was carried out. Immunostaining showed the tumor cells to be AFP-positive. The tumor was thus diagnosed as an AFP-producing lung adenocarcinoma. The patient followed an uneventful clinical course after the surgery, with serum AFP decreasing to the normal range by about 2 weeks after the surgery. As of this writing, no sign of tumor recurrence has been noted. This case is presented here with a review of the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan. k1111@asahikawa-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitada
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yoshinari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokusashi
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyokawa
authors.forename: Tadahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasajima
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins