Wheezing in a 52-Year-Old Woman With a History of Colon Cancer
April 1st 2006A 52-year-old woman was admitted tothe hospital with progressive shortnessof breath of 2 days’ duration. Bronchialasthma had been diagnosed 6 monthsearlier; inhaled corticosteroids, bronchodilators,and leukotriene antagonistswere prescribed. Despite aggressivetreatment, the patient’s dyspneaand wheezing worsened.
Renal Cell Carcinoma Metastases to the Lung
September 14th 2005A 2-month history of cough sent a 62-year-old woman for medical evaluation. The patient denied fever, chills, and rigors but reported seeing streaks of blood in her sputum during the past month. The patient had undergone a right nephrectomy 4 years earlier for renal cell carcinoma.
Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations
September 14th 2005Having suffered progressive shortness of breath for 2 years, a 35-year-old man was eventually hospitalized. The patient's dyspnea had worsened over the past year, but he had neither chest pain nor palpitations. His primary care physician first noticed finger clubbing 8 months ago.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung
September 14th 2005Over the past 6 months, a 72-year-old man was troubled by a persistent cough; he also had lost 9 kg (20 lb). He had no fever or chills, but he noticed mild streaking of blood in his sputum during the past month. He had been a cigarette smoker for 50 years.
Endobronchial Metastatic Disease
September 14th 2005Persistent collapse of the right lung led to hospitalization of a 62-year-old woman with a history of colon cancer. She had no fever, chills, rigor, or hemoptysis. The patient underwent bronchoscopy to rule out any central endobronchial obstructing lesion.
Atypical Locations of HSV Infection
September 14th 2005Painful eczematous lesions at the angle of her mouth and the base of her nostrils had been bothering a 52-year-old woman for 3 days. Some of the vesicles had ulcerated and left a crust over the region. The patient said she had had similar attacks in the past. The diagnosis of recurrent herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV 1) infection was made. The patient was treated with acyclovir for 1 week, and all the lesions disappeared.
Cavitary Lung Cancer With Metastases
September 14th 2005A 60-year-old woman with a 3-month history of cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath was brought to the emergency department. The patient denied any history of fever, chills, or rigors; she complained of mild hemoptysis for 1 week and a 9-kg (20-lb) weight loss during the last few months. The patient had smoked cigarettes for 40 years.
Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia
September 14th 2005A 25-year-old man, who was an injection drug user, presented with a several-day history of dyspnea and fever. He complained of excessive malaise, fatigue, and weight loss but denied any hemoptysis. The examination of the lung revealed bilateral crackles in both lower zones.
Prolactinoma in a 40-Year-Old Woman
September 14th 2005A 40-year-old woman with a history of amenorrhea complained of recent headaches and galactorrhea for the last 6 months. A neurologic work-up revealed bitemporal hemianopia, and a radiograph of the skull suggested an enlarged sella turcica. A large pituitary adenoma disclosed by an MRI and a serum prolactin level of 360 µg/L led to a diagnosis of prolactinoma.