title: A rare case of sternal erosion due to bronchogenic carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary sternal malignancy is very uncommon. Secondary sternal malignancy is usually caused by either hematological dissemination or by direct extension due to parasternal lymph node involvement from breast or lung carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 72 years old smoker presented with a dull aching pain over the sternum. Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax revealed osteolytic erosion of manubrium sterni, along with a mass of lesion in the upper lobe of left lung and left sided mediastinal lymphadenopathy. CT guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the left lung mass showed squamous cell carcinoma and FNAC of the sternal lesion revealed metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Direct erosion of sternum in case of squamous cell carcinoma of lung is a rarity. We have reported this case to increase the awareness of clinicians regarding the possibility of direct sternal involvement from lung cancer. Moreover, local removal can improve the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Sudipta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pandit
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Anirban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Sibes K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Sabyasachi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Somnath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D013249:Sternum
keywords: Local spread; Lung cancer; Sternal erosion