title: Metastatic Lung Cancer Presenting as Thoracic Empyema in an Old Patient.
abstract: An 83-year old male presented to the emergency department with productive cough and acute shortness of breath. Imaging, biochemical and microbiological studies of the pleural fluid indicated empyema. After antibiotic treatment and tube drainage, symptoms of the patient persisted and he received thoracoscopic decortication. His condition improved gradually, but histopathological examination showed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung. Clinicians are alerted to the possible association of malignant tumours and empyema in older patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Centre, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Y-M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Centre, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yu-C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Centre, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: T-W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, 325, Section 2, Cheng-Kung Road, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC. hung@mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chang