Open AccessDiagnosis of miliary nodules as lung adenocarcinoma by cryobiopsy: A case report
Author(s) -
Morishita Momoko,
Suzuki Manabu,
Watanabe Hiromu,
Morita Chie,
Ishida Akane,
Hashimoto Masao,
Naka Go,
Takeda Yuichiro,
Hojo Masayuki,
Sugiyama Haruhito
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
thoracic cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1759-7714
pISSN - 1759-7706
DOI - 10.1111/1759-7714.13946
Subject(s) - medicine , adenocarcinoma , pathology , lung cancer , crizotinib , lung , biopsy , erlotinib , bronchoscopy , pathological , gefitinib , metastasis , radiology , cancer , epidermal growth factor receptor , malignant pleural effusion
A 62‐year‐old woman with rheumatoid arthritis and a history of receiving immunosuppressant therapy had a recurrence of lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR L858R mutation. Following 14 months of treatment with erlotinib, computed tomography (CT) findings revealed the presence of small diffuse nodules. Bronchoscopy was performed as metastasis was suspected; however, this was not detected on lung biopsy with forceps. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) succeeded in detecting metastatic adenocarcinoma, and T790M and L858R gene mutations. Pathological examination revealed a cluster of tumor cells in the intralobular interstitial areas, which was consistent with the CT findings. This report provides important information regarding the role of TBLC in diagnosing metastatic cancer, such as diffuse small miliary nodules, and its genetic mutations.