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Vol.44 No.3 contents | Japanese/English |
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- Case Report -
A Case of Lung Cancer With Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Caused by Helicobacter Pylori -Improvement of Thrombocytopenia After Treatment for Helicobacter pylori-
Shigeki Hatakeyama1, Nobuo Saoyama1, Takanori Miyoshi2, Masaru Tsuyuguchi2, Shigeo Watanabe31Department of Surgery, National Hospital Organization Zentsuji National Hospital, Japan, Department of 2Surgery, 3Internal Medicine, Tokushima Municipal Hospital, Japan
Background. Recent studies have suggested a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). We report a patient who experienced improvement of uncontrollable thrombocytopenia after Helicobacter pylori eradication whilst receiving chemotherapy for lung cancer. Case. A 56-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because her chest X-ray film showed a mass and pleural effusion and lung cancer was diagnosed. The thrombocytopenia was considered due to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) since elevated fibrin degradation products (FDP) was observed. The thrombocytopenia was not controlled by standard therapy for DIC, but following a combination of chemotherapy and monthly platelet transfusions her condition improved. Because she was treated with chemotherapy, platelet transfusions were required. Re-evaluation of thrombocytopenia showed normal FDP levels, and ITP was diagnosed because of elevated levels of PAIgG. Urea breath test showed Helicobacter pylori infection at the end of June. Eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori let to a recovery in platelet count. Conclusion. Helicobacter pylori is hypothesized to be causally related with ITP associated lung cancer in addition to cancer associated DIC and myelosuppression due to chemotherapy.
key words: Thrombocytopenia, Lung cancer, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), Helicobacter pylori
Received: January 28, 2004
Accepted: April 19, 2004
JJLC 44 (3): 173-177, 2004
