Pulmonary mucinous cystadenoma - A rare pathology

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary cystadenoma is a very rare benign tumor of the lung with slow growth rate and most often, asymptomatic. Case Report: We present the case of a 58-year-old patient admitted in the hospital for coughing with hemoptoic sputum. Standard thoracic radiography revealed a 4/5 cm macronodular opacity in the right inferior lobe, paracardiac. Thoracic computed tomography (CT) with contrast discovered a 3.8/4.7 cm homogenous mass in the right inferior lobe. After intraoperative assessment of the lesion a lower right lobectomy with mediastinal and local lymphadenectomy was performed. Conclusion: Pulmonary mucinous cystadenoma is one of the primary pulmonary mucinous cystic neoplasia (PMCT) alongside PMCT of low malignancy and pulmonary mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (PMCAC). Because of this and because of the clinical and imagistic similarities between these main entities, establishing a preoperative diagnosis becomes very difficult. Therefore, histopathological and immunohistochemistry studies are mandatory in order to establish the correct diagnosis.