title: Two cases of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis in postmenopausal women.
abstract: Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a rare disease that occurs exclusively in young women, who typically present with progressive dyspnea and repeated spontaneous pneumothorax. The diagnosis of this disease in elderly women with a non-progressive clinical course is extremely rare. We herein report two incidentally discovered cases of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis in postmenopausal patients. These patients had not presented with any respiratory symptoms. Lymphangioleiomyomatosis may be related to hormonal influences; however, the etiology and pathogenesis of the pulmonary lesions that develop in postmenopausal females are unclear, even after a review of the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Fukuoka University Hospital, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Fukuoka-city, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan. Electronic address: hishii@fukuoka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Oita University Hospital, Hasama-machi, Oita 879-5593, Japan. Electronic address: hkushi@oita-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kushima
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Fukuoka University Hospital, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Fukuoka-city, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan. Electronic address: watanabe@fukuoka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Oita University Hospital, Hasama-machi, Oita 879-5593, Japan. Electronic address: kadota@oita-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kadota
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018192:Lymphangioleiomyomatosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011859:Radiography