Respiratory Woes: Smoking-Related or Not?-Case 2: Persistent Cough in a Man With Glioblastoma Multiforme

摘要

A 40-year-old man was evaluated for seizures and found to have glioblastoma multiforme in the left temporal lobe. He underwent surgical resection followed by radiation therapy and six cycles of carmustine chemotherapy. The patient responded well, and imaging results supported stable post-therapy changes in the brain. Fifteen months after his initial presentation, however, an MRI scan showed progression of tumor. The patient had no neurologic complaints, and seizures were well controlled. A review of systems revealed a persistent nonproductive cough of 2 months' duration, and a chest roentgenogram, seen here (A and B), was obtained. The patient reported an ongoing history of smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.