Concurrent lung cancer in non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis: Case report

Abstract

An 82-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital after multiple round opacities were detected in chest X-rays performed during a routine health screening. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) was found in sputum cultures, and compatible pathological findings on biopsy confirmed pulmonary MAC infection, whereas biopsies from another opacity revealed adenocarcinoma of the lung. Curative surgery for the lung cancer confirmed a concurrence of lung cancer and pulmonary MAC infection. Since the prevalence of both of these lung diseases is increasing, suspicion of concurrence is critical to provide appropriate care.