Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Correlates With Hypertrophic Osteoarthropathy

Pierre-Marie Bamberger Syndrome Leading to the Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of a Localized Lung Cancer

Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA), manifested with digital clubbing, tubular bone periostosis, and large joint synovial effusions, exists in two forms: primary, which is the rarest form, and secondary. The latter is frequently associated with lung diseases and, in some cases, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is thus expressed in the form of a paraneoplastic syndrome. We report the case of a male smoker who was presented with secondary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy and was subsequently diagnosed with primary adenocarcinoma of the lung. A 63-year-old male with a history of ischemic heart disease and heavy tobacco consumption (60 pack-years) presented with painful osteoarthritis of all four extremities. A chest computed tomography (CT), a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, and a bronchoscopy revealed a 9 cm mass within the right lower lobe without mediastinal adenopathy. Bilateral lower limb X-rays revealed osteoarthropathy of the tibia. A right lower lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection were performed. Final histopathology analysis reported an advanced mixed pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 6. This report has highlighted the importance of clinical awareness of the association between HOA and carcinoma of the lung.

Hipocratismo digital: conociendo sus causas. Reporte de caso

Introducción. El hipocratismo digital es un signo clínico que afecta principalmente los dedos de las manos y se caracteriza por deformidad en uñas con abombamiento en vidrio de reloj. Puede presentarse en pacientes con cáncer diseminado, enfermedad pulmonar preexistente y dolor óseo, por lo cual es importante considerar esta entidad para un diagnóstico y un tratamiento oportunos.Presentación del caso. Paciente masculino de 86 años con hipocratismo digital, tabaquista en abstinencia, quien ingresa a urgencias por cuadro clínico de 2 meses de evolución consistente en fiebre y pérdida de 19kg de peso. Al examen físico presentaba disminución de ruidos respiratorios en base pulmonar derecha, dedos en palillo de tambor y deformidad ungüeal en manos. La radiografía de tórax mostró opacidad a nivel parahiliar derecho bien definida de 5cm. La tomografía computarizada de tórax mostró masas de bordes irregulares a nivel parahiliar derecho y en segmento apical del lóbulo inferior del pulmón derecho, y derrame pleural ipsilateral. La biopsia guiada por tomografía documentó adenocarcinoma pulmonar bien diferenciado.Conclusiones. El hipocratismo digital plantea un desafío en medicina debido a que puede ser difícil llegar a un diagnóstico etiológico y se pueden requerir muchos estudios para su confirmación.

Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy mimicking a reactive arthritis: a case report and review of the literature

Background

Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) is a syndrome characterized by abnormal proliferation of skin and periosteal tissues of the extremities. It can be a rare hereditary disease (pachydermoperiostosis) or can be secondary to various diseases, though mostly lung malignancies. Here, we report an unusual clinical presentation of HOA.

Case presentation

A 77-year-old man presented with fever, diarrhea, and an oligoarthritis involving the left knee and the ankles. Since left knee synovial fluid aspiration revealed an aseptic synovitis and Clostridium Difficile toxin was detectable in stool samples, a reactive arthritis secondary to a Clostridium Difficile induced colitis was initially suspected. However, the presence of a worsened digital clubbing and the lack of a good clinical response to steroid therapy led us to perform a radionuclide bone scanning, which revealed HOA. This turned out to be associated with a lepidic predominant lung adenocarcinoma, which was clinically and radiologically difficult to distinguish from a relapse of pneumonia.

Conclusion

Consistent with the literature, HOA tends to have a variable clinical presentation, mimicking that of various rheumatic diseases. This clinical case shows that HOA can present as a presumptive acute reactive arthritis, and it highlights the importance of patient’s follow-up in the differential diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis, especially when a worsened digital clubbing is present.