Primary lung cancer associated with Werner syndrome

Abstract

A 52-year-old man with Werner Syndrome (WS) was admitted to our hospital for the treatment of skin ulcers on his thighs. Routine chest radiography revealed an abnormal shadow in the left upper lung field. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a poorly demarcated homogeneous mass (diameter, 4 cm) in the S1 + 2 lung area; no pleural effusion was observed. CT-guided percutaneous needle biopsy revealed the presence of an adenocarcinoma. Other imaging studies did not reveal any lymph-node involvement or presence of metastatic lesions. The patient was diagnosed with stage IB adenocarcinoma (T2N0M0), and a left upper lobectomy was successfully carried out; postoperative wound healing was steady and uneventful, with no obvious ulcer formation. Primary lung cancers very rarely develop in patients with WS; non-epithelial tumors are usually observed in such patients. Patients with WS usually develop severe skin problems, such as refractory skin ulcers in the extremities; however, our patient did not develop any skin-related complications after surgery. As the expected lifespan of patients with WS is increasing, we need to pay attention not only to the rare non-epithelial malignancy, but also cancer. Further, the expected short lifespan of patients with WS, as well as the possibility of skin-related problems after surgery, should not be considered while deciding whether to take the option of surgery in the case of malignancy. © 2010 Japan Geriatrics Society.