title: An uncommon cause of syncope.
abstract: The authors present a case of a man with recurrent syncopal episodes. The patient had been hospitalized twice before reaching a correct diagnosis. The syncope was originally ascribed to a sick sinus syndrome, which led to pacemaker implantation. Nonetheless, the patient relapsed with no evidence of pacemaker dysfunction, and was readmitted to the hospital where the likely cause for his symptoms was identified: an adenocarcinoma of the lung infiltrating the vagus and recurrent laryngeal nerves. No further syncopal episodes occurred after thoracic surgery. This syncope led to an early diagnosis of lung cancer leading to appropriate and life extending treatment.
authors.affiliation: UOC di Medicina Interna e Medicina d'Urgenza, Edificio 4, Piano 3, AOU ''Policlinico, V. Emanuele'', P.O. "G. Rodolico", Via S. Sofia, 78, 95123, Catania, Italy. davidecampagna83@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campagna
authors.affiliation: UOC di Medicina Interna e Medicina d'Urgenza, Edificio 4, Piano 3, AOU ''Policlinico, V. Emanuele'', P.O. "G. Rodolico", Via S. Sofia, 78, 95123, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Domenica
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Amaradio
authors.affiliation: UOC di Medicina Interna e Medicina d'Urgenza, Edificio 4, Piano 3, AOU ''Policlinico, V. Emanuele'', P.O. "G. Rodolico", Via S. Sofia, 78, 95123, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.affiliation: UOC di Medicina Interna e Medicina d'Urgenza, Edificio 4, Piano 3, AOU ''Policlinico, V. Emanuele'', P.O. "G. Rodolico", Via S. Sofia, 78, 95123, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demma
authors.affiliation: UOC di Medicina Interna e Medicina d'Urgenza, Edificio 4, Piano 3, AOU ''Policlinico, V. Emanuele'', P.O. "G. Rodolico", Via S. Sofia, 78, 95123, Catania, Italy.|Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: UOC di Medicina Interna e Medicina d'Urgenza, Edificio 4, Piano 3, AOU ''Policlinico, V. Emanuele'', P.O. "G. Rodolico", Via S. Sofia, 78, 95123, Catania, Italy.|Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Polosa
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012804:Sick Sinus Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Lung cancer; Sick sinus syndrome; Syncope