ROENTGENOGRAPHICALLY OCCULT SMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

This report describes a rare case of roentgenographically occult small -cell lung cancer in a 73-year-old man with hemoptysis. Fiberoptic bro nchoscopy disclosed a 5-mm dome-shaped lesion; a biopsy established th e diagnosis of small-cell lung cancer. The patient received a combinat ion of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. More than 10 years later, he is still alive without recurrent disease. A review of the literature of r oentgenographically occult small-cell lung cancer revealed the followi ng: (1) a history of heavy smoking was common; (2) double primary bron chogenic carcinoma was noted; (3) hemoptysis or bloody sputum was an i nitial common symptom; (4) the sensitivity of sputum cytologic analysi s was relatively low; (5) the tumor, which was shiny, smooth, and cove red with bronchial epithelium, was often located at the bifurcation; a nd (6) lymph node metastatic involvement occurred.