December 2012 Pulmonary Case of the Month: Applying Genetics

Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 9:25AM
Rick Robbins, M.D. in ALK, EGFR, adenocarcinoma, anaplastic lymphoma kinase translocation, chemotherapy, epidermal growth factor receptor mutation, lung cancer in nonsmokers, malignant pleural effusion, personalized medicine, pleural effusion

Lewis J. Wesselius, MD¹

Thomas D. Kummet, MD²

 

¹Department of Pulmonary Medicine

Mayo Clinic Arizona

Scottsdale, AZ

 

²Olympic Medical Cancer Center

Sequim, WA

 

History of Present Illness

A 65 year old woman presented to her physician in with upper abdominal pain in August, 2007.  A CT scan of the abdomen demonstrated no abnormalities in her abdomen, but a 3.7 x 2.4 cm mass in the left lower lobe was noted.

PMH, FH and SH

She has no significant prior medical history. She is a life-long nonsmoker. There is no significant family history

Physical Examination

Her physical examination is unremarkable.

Which of the following is true?

1. Lung cancer does not occur in nonsmokers
2. The lesion is likely a rounded pneumonia based on its size
3. A family history of lung cancer is not associated with an increase in lung cancer
4. Calcification of the mass usually indicates lung cancer
5. Adenocarcinoma is the most common lung cancer seen in nonsmokers

Reference as: Wesselius LJ, Kummet TD. December 2012 pulmonary case of the month: applying genetics. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care 2012;5:272-8. PDF

Article originally appeared on Southwest Journal of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep (https://www.swjpcc.com/).