Prevalence of Benign Diseases Mimicking Lung Cancer: Experience from a University Hospital of Southern Brazil

Abstract

BackgroundLung cancer is the most lethal type of cancer in the world. Several benign lung diseases may mimic lung carcinoma in its clinical and radiological presentation, which makes the differential diagnosis for granulomatous diseases more relevant in endemic regions like Brazil. This study was designed to describe the prevalence and the diagnostic work-up of benign diseases that mimic primary lung cancer in patients hospitalized at a university hospital from south of Brazil.MethodsThis was a transversal study, which evaluated the medical records of 1,056 patients hospitalized for lung cancer treatment from September 2003 to September 2013 at University Hospital of Santa Maria.ResultsEight hundred and four patients underwent invasive procedures for suspected primary lung carcinoma. Primary lung cancer was confirmed in 77.4% of the patients. Benign disease was confirmed in 8% of all patients. Tuberculosis (n=14) and paracoccidioidomycosis (n=9) were the most frequent infectious diseases. The diagnosis of benign diseases was obtained by flexible bronchoscopy in 55.6% of the cases and by thoracotomy in 33.4%.ConclusionInfectious diseases are the most frequent benign diseases mimicking lung cancer at their initial presentation. Many of these cases could be diagnosed by minimally invasive procedures such as flexible bronchoscopy. Benign diseases should be included in the differential diagnosis during the investigation for primary lung cancer in order to avoid higher cost procedures and mortality.

Pulmonary infections mimicking malignancy on bronchoscopy: A retrospective single‐center study in Japan

“…Other studies have found endemic fungal infections, such as coccidioidomycosis and histoplasmosis, in pulmonary lesions; 6,7 however, there were no endemic mycoses detected in this study. This difference might be attributable to the epidemiological differences in fungal infections, 8 although the incidence of imported mycoses has recently been increasing in Japan 14 …”

“…The consensus statement of the American College of Chest Physicians and American Association for Bronchology included a recommendation that healthcare workers should wear a fit‐tested N95 particulate respirator to minimize exposure to airborne TB during bronchoscopy of patients with suspected pulmonary TB 5 . There are several reports from other countries with regard to lung infections that mimic cancer, although some of them are endemic fungal infections and the epidemiology differs from that in Japan 6,7 . Rolston et al reported pulmonary infections that mimic cancer at a US cancer center, wherein 46% of the infections were endemic fungal infections (eg, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and coccidioidomycosis) 6 .…”

“…Rolston et al reported pulmonary infections that mimic cancer at a US cancer center, wherein 46% of the infections were endemic fungal infections (eg, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and coccidioidomycosis) 6 . Similarly, Homrich et al reported lung infections that mimic cancer in a Brazilian university hospital, and approximately 20% of the infections were endemic mycoses 7 . In Japan, reports of these abovementioned infections are incredibly scarce 8 …”

Tuberculosis que imita cáncer: casos derivados al Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Lima-Perú

“…Las imágenes de TBP que requieren diagnóstico diferencial con una neoplasia maligna incluyen las lesiones 19) . Prytz et al describieron una serie de 91 pacientes con diagnóstico presuntivo de cáncer de pulmón que fueron sometidos a toracotomía y el hallazgo fue de TBP (9) .…”

Actinomycosis or malignancy: A diagnostic dilemma

“…Actinomycosis is a chronic infection caused by grampositive anaerobic bacteria which is found worldwide [1]. Common features of actinomycosis infections include abscess, granulation, fibrous tissue, and the classical cutaneous sinuses with yellow/sulfur granular discharge [2].…”