Lung adenocarcinoma masquerading as refractory Klebsiella pneumoniae

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Author(s)
McCartney, C
Moghadam, A
Sriram, KB
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2014
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
We report the case of a middle-aged man where a diagnosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae obscured the underlying malignancy. The patient was hospitalised for management of a presumed refractory community-acquired pneumonia with radiological features of right lower lobe consolidation. Bronchoscopy did not identify an endobronchial lesion and washings grew K pneumoniae. CT-guided fine-needle aspirate samples did not detect any malignancy. However, despite appropriate antibiotic treatment there was no improvement in the patient’s clinical condition. Consequently, a CT-guided lung core biopsy was performed to obtain more tissue for ...
View more >We report the case of a middle-aged man where a diagnosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae obscured the underlying malignancy. The patient was hospitalised for management of a presumed refractory community-acquired pneumonia with radiological features of right lower lobe consolidation. Bronchoscopy did not identify an endobronchial lesion and washings grew K pneumoniae. CT-guided fine-needle aspirate samples did not detect any malignancy. However, despite appropriate antibiotic treatment there was no improvement in the patient’s clinical condition. Consequently, a CT-guided lung core biopsy was performed to obtain more tissue for histopathology, which was diagnostic of primary lung adenocarcinoma. This case highlights the need to continue to investigate a patient who is not progressing as clinically appropriate to their original diagnosis.
View less >
View more >We report the case of a middle-aged man where a diagnosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae obscured the underlying malignancy. The patient was hospitalised for management of a presumed refractory community-acquired pneumonia with radiological features of right lower lobe consolidation. Bronchoscopy did not identify an endobronchial lesion and washings grew K pneumoniae. CT-guided fine-needle aspirate samples did not detect any malignancy. However, despite appropriate antibiotic treatment there was no improvement in the patient’s clinical condition. Consequently, a CT-guided lung core biopsy was performed to obtain more tissue for histopathology, which was diagnostic of primary lung adenocarcinoma. This case highlights the need to continue to investigate a patient who is not progressing as clinically appropriate to their original diagnosis.
View less >
Journal Title
BMJ Case Reports
Volume
1
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2014. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. For information about this journal please refer to the journal’s website or contact the authors.
Subject
Clinical sciences