A case of a long survival after resection of a large cell lung carcinoma invading the diaphragm

摘要

Background. Results of surgical treatment for lung cancer invading the diaphragm are generally poor. Here, we report a case of a long survival after resection of a large cell lung carcinoma invading the diaphragm. Case. A 61-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with bloody sputum. Chest roentgenogram showed a 5 x 5 cm tumor in the left lower lung field. Chest CT and MRI revealed a mass invading the left diaphragm. We confirmed malignant cells by transbronchial biopsy and subsequently performed a left lower lobectomy with combined resection of the diaphragm and the spleen following ND2a lymph node dissection. Postoperative pathological findings showed a large cell lung carcinoma without regional lymph node metastasis (pT3N0M0). Five years after the first operation, a partial resection of the right lower lobe was performed for the second primary lung cancer (adenocarcinoma). Conclusion. Surgical treatment of lung cancer invading the diaphragm was effective in this case, because the patient has been free from disease for over six years since the first operation.