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Vol.47 No.3 contents | Japanese/English |
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- Case Report -
Three Occurrences of Pneumocystis Pneumonia in Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy
Keiko Saiki1, Yoshirou Mochizuki1, Yasuharu Nakahara1, Tetsuji Kawamura1, Shin Sasaki1, Chihiro Nishio21Department of Respiratory Medicine, Himeji Medical Center, Japan, 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shiga Medical University, Japan
Background. When chest radiographs of lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy show diffuse light interstitial infiltrates, we have difficulty in distinguishing the pneumonia from a drug allergy. Cases. We reported 3 occurrences of Pneumocystis pneumonia in lung cancer patients. The patients, 73-, 72-, and 55-year-old men, were undergoing chemotherapy. One had received long-term corticosteroid treatment. The others had received only chemotherapy, so we hypothesized chemotherapy was also a risk factor in the occurrence of Pneumocystis pneumonia. All had fevers, but only 1 developed respiratory failure. All chest radiographs showed diffuse light interstitial infiltrates. In all cases Pneumocystis was detected in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or sputum by polymerase chain reaction. β-D-glucan concentrations were elevated high. The patients were treated with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and all showed marked improvement. Conclusion. When chest radiographs of lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy show diffuse light interstitial infiltrates, Pneumocystis pneumonia should be considered.
key words: Pneumocystis pneumonia, Lung cancer, Chemotherapy, Diffuse interstitial infiltrate
Received: September 12, 2006
Accepted: April 16, 2007
JJLC 47 (3): 273-276, 2007
