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Vol.50 No.1 contents | Japanese/English |
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- Case Report -
A Germ Cell Tumor with a Cavity Containing an Air-fluid Level
Sakae Morii1, Satoshi Hirano1, Yuichiro Takeda1, Haruhito Sugiyama1, Nobuyuki Kobayashi1, Koichiro Kudo1,21Department of Respiratory Medicine, International Medical Center of Japan, Toyama Hospital, Japan, 2Disease Control and Prevention Center, International Medical Center of Japan Hospital, Japan
Background. Although germ cell tumors have a high sensitivity to anticancer drugs, it is not always easy to complete chemotherapy without some delay. We report a case of germ cell tumor (embryonal carcinoma) accompanied by an abscess caused by bacterial infection in a metastatic lung tumor. Chemotherapy was completed and complete remission obtained through long-term administration of antibiotics and drainage of the lung abscess. Case. A 37-year-old man was referred to our hospital with pyrexia and dyspnea, and lung cancer was suspected at the referring hospital. A chest X-ray film showed a 10-cm mass with a cavity and an air-fluid level in the left lower lung field and multiple nodular shadows in the bilateral lungs. Immunohistologically, the tumor was demonstrated to be embryonal carcinoma, positive for CD30 and placental alkaline phosphatase (pALP). At the same time, bacterial infection of the cavitary lesion was demonstrated. Continuous drainage and administration of antibiotics was performed and 4 courses of BEP therapy (bleomycin+etoposide+cisplatin) were started. Finally, complete remission was obtained. Conclusion. Chemotherapy for a germ cell tumor can be effective, using adequate management for infection, even if it is accompanied by severe bacterial infection like a lung abscess.
key words: Germ cell tumor, Embryonal carcinoma, Cavitary lesion, Lung abscess, Chemotherapy
Received: August 10, 2009
Accepted: October 20, 2009
JJLC 50 (1): 41-46, 2010
