EXTRAMEDULLARY HEMATOPOIESIS MIMICKING METASTATIC LUNG-CARCINOMA

Extramedullary hematopoiesis is a rare condition defined as the appear ance of hematopoietic elements outside of the bone marrow, which occur s primarily in patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders or c ongenital hemolytic anemias. We report a patient who presented with a left lower lobe lung carcinoma and right paravertebral and left pleura l masses, initially thought most consistent radiographically with inop erable metastatic disease, until biopsies of the paravertebral and ple ural masses established the presence of extramedullary hematopoiesis. The left lower lobe neoplasm was subsequently resected uneventfully. ( Ann Thorac Surg 1998;66:1411-3) (C) 1998 by The Society of Thoracic Su rgeons.