title: Toxoplasmosis complicating lung cancer: a case report.
abstract: Toxoplasmosis complicating lung cancer has been described only rarely. Here, we report a case of acute Toxoplasma gondii infection in a patient with squamous lung cancer. A 64-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a history of cough of 6 months' duration and chest pain of 1 week's duration. Further examination revealed multiple swollen lymph nodes, palpable on the top of the right collarbone and without tenderness. The chest X-ray, bronchoscopy, and computed tomography scan confirmed squamous carcinoma of the right lung. The Wright-stained bronchoalveolar-lavage fluid cytology diagnosis was positive for T. gondii and tachyzoites were detected. All of them were of free type (ectocytic), without intracellular parasites. Serological examination revealed that the anti-T. gondii immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG antibodies were positive. Unfortunately the patient did not continue treatment and was lost to follow-up. Toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection in patients with lung cancer. Prompt recognition of T. gondii infection among cancer patients with subsequent targeted treatment of toxoplasmosis could help alleviate symptoms and improve survival.
authors: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China.
authors: Nianhong
authors: N
authors: Lu
authors: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China.
authors: Caihong
authors: C
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jiangyuan
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Ding
authors: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China.
authors: Qing
authors: Q
authors: Ai
keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; bronchoalveolar-lavage fluid; lung cancer; tachyzoite
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