Lung Cancer Presented as Painful Swelling of Lower Legs

Abstract

Trousseau's syndrome comsists of migratory thrombophlebitis and thromboembolic disorders of the venous and arterial systems in a malignancy or occult cancer. The overall incidence has been reported to vary from 1 to 11%. Pancreatic, lung, prostate, and stomach cancer is associated with the greatest risk of thromboembolic events. We encountered a 49-year-old man who presented with painful swelling of his lower legs. The chest radiograph showed increased opacity of the Left middle lung fields and Doppler sonography showed a thrombus in the left superficial femoral vein. Chest Computed Tomography showed a 5cm sized left hilar mass invading the pericardium with lymphadenopathy. The bronchoscope biopsy demonstrated an adenocarcinoma of the lung. Platinum based chemotherapy and anticoagulant therapy with warfarin was carried out. The patient was later discharged with an improvement in the painful swelling of his lower legs. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 398-402)